21 February 2019
In Term 3 and 4, 2018 twenty-five Year 8 students volunteered to raise awareness of empathy through the charity Sight for All. We began by brainstorming what the difference is between sympathy and empathy, and why empathy should be a focus at Saints.
The boys found out that shockingly 285 million people have vision conditions due to eye disease/lack of glasses. 39 million people are blind and 246 million have low vision. Eighty percent of this visual impairment is preventable or treatable.
In some cultures, such eye problems can limit access to education and work, which leads to social isolation and poverty. The charity, Sight for All, aims to break the cycle of poverty and help improve peoples’ lives.
Our task in school was to firstly raise awareness for the charity and secondly to raise funds to support their cause. After much discussion and planning in 2018 we were ready to launch our awareness day. The volunteers talked about the Empathy Program and Sight for All in their Mentor groups and Houses. Then on Friday 15 February 2019 the Year 9 volunteers led the boys through an assault course, a nerf gun shooting range and a drawing and writing competition. All activities were completed blind folded and there were prizes for winners.
Thank you to all the Year 9 volunteers who gave up many of their lunchtimes to plan the event, The Day Family Foundation and Mr Bourgas for their continued support.
Empathy and Awareness – we are all part of something bigger! For more information or to get involved go to https://sightforall.org
Thomas Spiby (Year 12)
Da Costa House Captain
