Student Ambassador Captain, Ivana, leads ORBIS Student Ambassador representatives in a torch relay and makes a solemn oath.

Local singer-songwriter and ORBIS Student Ambassador Captain, Ms. Ivana Wong attended the 10th ORBIS Student Ambassador Campaign Award Ceremony at East Point City in Tseung Kwan O today. Joining Ivana in outlining their experiences on last year's Student Ambassador Campaign (SAC) Indian sight-saving mission were three ORBIS Student Ambassador Leaders. This is the second year running, Ivana has supported ORBIS in the battle against preventable blindness.

"I had no idea how bad the blindness situation in India was before I made this trip", said Ivana. "I think it's vital we all do what we can to help blind people in developing countries", she added. During the ceremony, several students donned blindfolds and played games to outline the hardships facing those in unending darkness. "I used my voice to help guide the students past obstacles as they walked and in seemingly simple tasks such as putting on clothes. I couldn't believe just how difficult it was to distinguish between everyday sounds. I hope everyone in Hong Kong takes good care of their eyes and helps blind people worldwide", said Ivana. 

Ivana joins Ms. Mary Lau - ORBIS Director of Development Hong Kong, and Ms. Rhoda Chan - Head of Corporate Responsibility, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd., in presenting medals to students from the three winning teams.

Accompanied by Ms. Mary Lau, ORBIS Director of Development Hong Kong, and Ms. Rhoda Chan, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd., Ivana went on to present medals to students from the three winning teams: Hong Kong International School - Champion, Ying Wa College - 1st runner-up and Hoi Ping Chamber of Commerce Secondary School (HPCCSS) - 2nd runner-up. In all, some 30 local tertiary and secondary schools helped spread eye care awareness and raise over HK$320,000 for ORBIS by participating in the 2008-09 SAC.

Highlights of the 2008-09 SAC included a groundbreaking 'Dinner-in-the-Dark' event organized by Hong Kong International School's Genny Chin and her classmates. 'As we had to prepare food and organize service for over 100 guess, the event was far more complicated than we imagined", said Genny. "Happily, the result was well worth the effort. So while the dinner is over, we are all determined to continue our commitment to ORBIS through college and beyond".

In her role as Student Ambassador Captain, Ivana also has to symbolize continuance by leading a torch relay of both last year's and this year's newly-appointed Student Ambassador Leaders. Having sworn a solemn oath, seven new Ambassadors are now looking forward to taking part in an upcoming ORBIS mission to Vietnam in late July. 

Ivana will lead seven students to Vietnam to witness ORBIS's sight-saving programs in late July.

Students from Ying Wa College shares their experiences on holding eye care education and fundraising campaign in school.

Ying Wa College Student Ambassador, Brian Hui's mission cannot come fast enough, "I am so excited at becoming an ORBIS Student Ambassador! Spreading sight saving messages to schoolmates during the campaign has not only taught me a lot about sight and about ORBIS, but also about raising funds to help the needy. The fact that I am joining ORBIS in Vietnam is an unimaginable bonus! In experiencing the hardships facing Vietnam's sightless, I hope to learn still more about blindness and spread the sight saving word to even more people when I come home", he added. 

Said ORBIS Director of Development of Hong Kong Ms. Mary Lau at the ceremony, "ORBIS is very grateful to Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited for its generous support of the SAC. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Ivana Wong for her dedication in helping to promote ORBIS's sight-saving message. As the school year 2008-09 marks the 10th anniversary of the SAC, please join me in applauding the many students who have sacrificed so much time to be part of this event. I hope many, many more students will help us enlighten the lives of the preventably blind in the coming years."

Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited's 'Seeing is Believing' project first began helping ORBIS and its volunteers and donors raise eye health awareness in 2003. In 2008, the bank also began giving its full support to the SAC by helping ORBIS to promote its global sight-saving message in local schools and colleges. In addition to educating tomorrow's leaders, the 'Seeing is Believing' initiative also brings hope to the visually impaired by supporting ORBIS' sight restoration and blindness prevention work in China. 

To find out more about the ORBIS Student Ambassador Campaign, please visit www.orbis.org.hk/student.

Ivana uses her voice to help guide students in a blindfold game.	Ivana pledges to promote eye care and encouraging students to appreciate the gift of sight.