Report WAEH Community of Practice – Fundraising | 2 July 2026
On Thursday 2 July 2026, the WAEH Community of Practice on Fundraising, led by Juliette Fahlenbrach, Head of Philantropy and Donor Relations at Fondation Asile des aveugles – the Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin (Lausanne, Switzerland), took place. The session brought together fundraising professionals from India, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Rwanda, the United Kingdom, Australia and beyond.
Maaike van Zuilen, global lead of the WAEH, gave a warm welcome to everyone joining this first meeting of the CoP on Fundraising. Then, Kally Ooi, Director of Development & Community Engagement at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), presented the development of Vision Save, SNEC’s philanthropic platform established in 2016 to unify fundraising across patient care, education, research, innovation, and community outreach. Rather than raising funds for individual projects, Vision Save was intentionally designed around a single, purpose-driven brand identity that would enable donors to support the broader mission of advancing eye care.
A central message throughout the presentation was that successful fundraising begins with purpose rather than financial need. Donors are generally not inspired by a catalogue of projects; instead, they are motivated by a compelling vision, meaningful impact, and the opportunity to become part of a larger story.
The Vision Save platform of the Singapore National Eye Centre is organized around four philanthropic pillars:
- Patient financial assistance;
- Community outreach;
- Staff education and professional development;
- Research and innovation.
Kally discussed how philanthropic support has improved access to treatment, strengthened workforce development, and enabled research and leadership development through endowed fellowships and professorships.
Read the full report on the WAEH Community.
Note: the WAEH Community is for members only. Not registered yet? Please register yourself here for the WAEH Community using your hospital email address. Need help? Send an email to .
The Community of Practice for Fundraising will come together online again on site during the 20th WAEH Annual Meeting from 9-13 November 2026 in São Paulo (Brazil).
Read more about the Communities of Practice here.