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Trachoma is a contagious bacterial infection of the eye causing inflamed granulation on the inner surface of the lids. After repeat trachoma infections, trichiasis takes hold and turns the eyelid inward causing the eyelashes to scar the delicate surface of the eye. This scarring causes the cornea to go cloudy and leaves the individual blind and in agonising pain.
“A simple act like a child reaching for the hand of a parent, sibling or a friend can spread the infection. As a mother this is just heartbreaking. It’s not just the tragedy that an individual’s life is ruined by this disease but that, once blind, it’s impossible for them to be independent, financially or physically, or to contribute to their family. They end up becoming a burden, trapped in a cycle of poverty and destitution." Kidd continues.
The company aims to do more than raise awareness and fundraise; it is looking to integrate social responsibility at the core of its business, and to work with ORBIS at a grassroots level for sustainable change.
Kidd adds: “As someone who makes her living from the ephemeral world of beauty, I was instantly struck with the desire - the responsibility - to do more. I’ve seen with my own eyes how simple, inexpensive medical treatment can be the difference between sight and blindness, between an independent life and one of dependency."
For every product purchased through the new Jemma Kidd online store (www.jemmakidd.com), launching today, we will give sight to a family in need in rural Ethiopia by providing treatment to protect them against trachoma for a year.
One product, one vision.
Grace Fodor, co-founder & Managing Director of Jemma Kidd Make Up says: “By weaving a ‘buy to give’ model into the fabric of our business, we hope to create a community, a movement, of people who share not only our world of make-up, but also our values and aspirations for a better world. We hope to raise the bar in terms of how socially responsible a company can and should be.”
“A company is never too small to get involved in philanthropy; a small, single step soon becomes many steps closer to eradicating avoidable blindness and freeing a family from a lifetime of darkness. A small business like ours, together with the support of our customers, can make a massive difference, creating a future of vision and independence for so many.” Fodor continues.
Rebecca Cronin, Regional Director of ORBIS Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says: “ORBIS needs support to get antibiotics to communities where trachoma is robbing the sight of young and old. We are very grateful to Jemma Kidd Make Up for working with us in this inspirational way.”
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