Gap Adventures celebrates 20th anniversary and announces initiative to build 20/20 Eye Centre in Cambodia.

Gap Adventures and the non-profit Planeterra Foundation announce plans to build a permanent eye-care centre with the goal of restoring vision to thousands of rural Cambodians.

According to SEVA Canada—a Vancouver-based charity dedicated to preventing and curing blindness in the developing world—there are now 314 million people with serious vision impairment the world over, 45 million of whom are blind. Eighty per cent of blindness is preventable or treatable, often with a 15-minute cataract surgery costing $50 or less.

The Gap Adventures 20/20 Eye Centre will be located in Northern Cambodia’s impoverished rural Battamban province. By conducting simple cataract procedures, the centre will help restore sight to some of the area’s 12,000 blind residents, 90% of whom have lost their vision to preventable or curable conditions.

"When we considered how to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we came up with the idea of looking forward, not backward.  One of our core values that drives the direction of our company is 'We love changing people's lives.'  And we could think of no better way than to create a brighter future for the people and places who have enriched our lives and the lives of our travellers" said Bruce Poon Tip, Gap Adventures Founder.

“Travel is a privilege.  At Gap Adventures, we believe it comes with an obligation.  There is no greater impact you can have on someone than to restore their sight. To see a mother, after a simple surgery, lay eyes on her child for the first time is truly inspiring. I have witnessed it—and it has moved me enough to concentrate our efforts to champion this cause“ said Poon Tip.