The Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA) has received a significant boost to its eye-care services with a US$136,000 donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The formally handover ceremony was held on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Church’s facility in Vigie, Castries. The funding will go directly towards the purchase of equipment for the Eye Care Saint Lucia (ECSL) Clinic, operated by the SLBWA.
The Association expressed its deep appreciation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the contribution, which will allow the SLBWA to strengthen and expand the services offered through the clinic to persons who are blind, visually impaired, or at risk of developing blinding eye conditions.
Executive Director of the SLBWA, Anthony Avril, explained that the Eye Care Saint Lucia programme was established to provide much-needed eye-care services and emphasized the importance of expanding these services to outreach centres in communities across the country.
Administration and Projects Manager of the SLBWA, Deborah Palmphille-McLean, also expressed appreciation to the Church for its efforts in securing the funding, noting that the contribution will support the provision of care for persons living with blindness and those affected by blinding eye conditions.
Communications Director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tasha Jn Paul, said the Church is pleased to continue its partnership with the SLBWA, noting that the two organizations have worked together on previous initiatives, including the Kids Insight programme.
Jn Paul said the Church is committed to initiatives that seek to improve the lives of persons who are less fortunate, adding that contributions such as the latest donation are part of the Church’s ongoing support for communities across Saint Lucia.
She expressed the hope that the equipment and support provided through the donation will make a meaningful difference in the lives of persons living with blindness and blinding conditions.
Jn Paul also noted the Church’s support for other community initiatives, including the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with communities throughout Saint Lucia.
President of the SLBWA, Glen Simon, described the donation as a significant contribution to the Association’s work. He noted that previous efforts had been made to raise funds for the purchase of equipment for the eye-care unit, but not all those initiatives materialized.
Simon said the US$136,000 contribution is among the largest, if not the largest, donations received by the Association and expressed profound gratitude to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its support.
He also expressed hope that the partnership will continue to develop and lead to further initiatives, including the SLBWA’s vision for a mobile eye-care clinic that could bring services to even more people across Saint Lucia.
The SLBWA’s commitment to expanding access to eye care is closely aligned with its longstanding motto, “Prevention of Blindness.” The Association says the new equipment will enhance its ability to provide services aimed at preventing avoidable vision loss and improving the quality of life of persons with visual impairments.
The SLBWA expressed its sincere thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the contribution and for its continued commitment to supporting eye health and services for persons who are blind and visually impaired in Saint Lucia.