Brought to you by Sightsavers Ireland. 

The Christmas season is officially upon us.

As we run around decorating our homes, attending parties and buying presents this year, it's nice to think of others, especially those less fortunate than ourselves. While we're busy hinting for the latest gadgets and beauty essentials it's easy to forget about those who would ask for something a lot simpler this Christmas. For some people, all they want is to have their sight back. This year thousands of children around the world will spend Christmas day in darkness. Unable to read, unable to get around, unable to see their family and friends. They will spend Christmas Day with no hope for the future. The numbers surrounding blindness are staggering.

• 80% of all blindness is curable.
• 90% of the world's blind population live in developing countries.
• 20 million people in the world are blind due to cataracts, a curable affliction.
• Children who are born with cataracts must be operated on before they turn 8 or they may never regain their sight.

Unfortunately, blindness is a sentence for many children in the developing world. Unable to go to school they will lack an education and a way out of poverty. They will be sentenced to a life they do not deserve. But thankfully there is hope and there are charities out there who can help.

Winesi seeing his grandson for first time © Sightsavers/Rachel Palmer.

Sightsavers Ireland offers a way out for these children. They are on a 3-year long mission to provide 'a million miracles' or life-changing surgeries for children and adults in the developing world. Every day they are giving people their sight back, and as a result, they are giving them their lives back too. As little as €36 is enough to give someone the gift of sight this Christmas. It might not seem like a lot to us but it can mean the whole world to someone without their sight. If you would like to donate and help change someone's life this Christmas you can do so here. This article is brought to you by Sightsavers Ireland.

Baraka and his mum © Sightsavers/Julia Gunther.