Actress and Strictly Come Dancing competitor Sunetra has supported Sightsavers for several years, and recently voiced a film showcasing Sightsavers’ work.
Her family is from Kolkata, and she says: “Without the miracles performed by charities like Sightsavers, those in India who lose their sight are also likely to lose their livelihoods, forcing them into greater poverty. To me, being able to give someone their sight back is miraculous.”
Joanna contacted Sightsavers in 1997, touched by an appeal she’d seen in a newspaper. She visited Bangladesh in 2005, where she watched as five-year-old Arif saw his mother for the first time after having his cataracts removed. Watch the video to see Joanna meeting Arif again, eight years later.
Joanna also took part in the 2015 BGC Charity Day on behalf of Sightsavers.
Photographer Rankin has been involved in several of Sightsavers’ film and photo projects, including photographing celebrities such as musician Gaz Coombes from Supergrass to mark International Day of People with Disabilities in 2014. The project was part of our campaign for disability rights.
He also captured photos for our celebrity ‘Specs Appeal’ auction in 2008.