Since 2014, China Everbright Limited ("Everbright", stock code: 165.HK) has co-organised the parent-child volunteer visit with Lifeline Express to its eye-train hospitals for the fifth consecutive years. In the past few years, the volunteer team has been to Shandong, Heilongjiang, Guiyang, and Baishan to bring love and care to the underprivileged cataract patients. This year, from 1-5 August, 27 volunteers from Everbright’s Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Qingdao offices together with their children visited Lifeline Express Eye-Train Hospital in Yining city, Xinjiang and helped the staff to clean the train.

At the Lifeline Express Eye-Train Hospital, the captain welcomed the volunteers and introduced the historical background of Hospital. The eye-train hospital we visited this time started to operate in Yining on 25 July and as of 1 August, around 100 cataract patients were cured and regained their eye-sight.

After that, with the guidance of the medical practitioners, the volunteers helped to check the eye sight for the cataract patients who already had a surgery a day before and talked to the patients who will have their operations soon. Some of the patients came out with tears when they recovered their eye sight. Also, the volunteers participated in different activities in order to have a better understanding of cataract patients’ daily life. On the next day, the volunteers went to a farm and helped the farmers clear the weeds in the field to experience the hardship of farm work.

After this Yining trip, volunteers have deepened their understanding on the services provided by Lifeline Express and the activity also provided a chance for the staff to participate in voluntary work together with their children. They witnessed the patients’ joy and happiness after regaining eyesight. Moreover, volunteers were also inspired to nurture their kindness to people and cherish their health and happiness.

As a China-background financial institution based in Hong Kong, Everbright has always strived for serving the community through corporate social responsibility events covering our four main themes namely “Bright Companion”, “Vitality Everbright”, “Education Support”, and “Art Promotions”. Everbright has been actively supporting sigh-saving campaigns of our Bright Companions including “Lifeline Express” and “Orbis”, hoping to restore eyesight of the visually impaired around the world.

Over the past couple of years, Everbright has formed a close partnership with Lifeline Express, becoming one of its largest funding sources. Everbright has served as the sponsor of Lifeline Express’ annual fundraising dinner for seven consecutive years and has made substantial donations in supporting the Lifeline Express Charity Golf Day. In 2016, with the support from Everbright, Lifeline Express has, for the first time, travelled outside of China to Sri Lanka, providing treatments to the blind. In September 2018, in line with its support to Belt and Road Initiative, Everbright will sponsor the International Sight-saving mission to Kazakhstan, supports the development in related regions.

Volunteers’ sharing after the visit:

“I’m grateful for this opportunity to join the volunteer trip to Yining, Xinjiang with my daughter this August. I’m glad that I had a chance to visit the “Lifeline Express” Eye-Train Hospital, to feel the pain of the cataract patients of losing their eye sight, and to share their joy when they can see the world again. To help others is to help yourself in a way. The doctors’ efforts are precious. I show my greatest respect to Lifeline Express and its medical practitioners.”-- Harry Wang

“Lifeline Express” Eye-Train Hospital is finally stationed in Yining! There are doctors from different regions in China gathered on the train to provide free services for the local residence who suffered from cataract. The surgery only takes around 20 minutes, and the patients can see the world again. Medical practitioners worked very hard to help every patient who came to the train hospital. Even though we as volunteers cannot do much, but through donations and giving them some encouragement will make the patients smile again.”-- Mandy Liang

“Lifeline Express” is an eye-train hospital that provides free surgery for the local residence who lives in poverty and suffered from cataract. The cataract surgery will only take 10-20 minutes, but due to poverty, the patients cannot afford for an operation and many elderlies are living in darkness for a long time. After the surgery, patients can regain their eye sights again. Even though we cannot do much as a volunteer, the patients were grateful to see us coming all the way from Hong Kong. Before we leave, they blessed us to have a safe trip back home. I hope more patients can be cured at the “Lifeline Express” Eye-Train Hospital in the future.”-- Carrie Chen