Our Story
Tamara Walker worked for OPSM for 14 years, helping improve the eyesight of the customers she saw daily. During her time there she started fundraising for OPSM’s global charity OneSight, a not-for-profit organisation committed to providing eye exams and glasses to the 1 in 7 people on our planet who lack access to vision care. Find out more about OneSight here.
When the opportunity came for Tamara to join other team members on a mission trip to Thailand in 2007, she jumped at the chance. She had no idea her life was about to dramatically change.
“During my two weeks in Thailand I became friends with Heather and Theun, a lovely older couple who were representatives of the Lions Club. All the recycled glasses that were needed for each of the OneSight international and domestic mission trips were provided by Lions Clubs all over the world.
“Heather and Theun were Lions members in Udon Thani, a city in Northern Thailand. These two Aussies had retired to Thailand so they could be more involved with this club, and one of their projects – The Lions Education Fund for Orphans. This project was created in 2005 to support children who have lost one or both of their parents to HIV/AIDS – its main focus to help them with their educational needs.
“When I learned of the plight of the AIDS orphans in Udon Thani, I thought about what I could do to help.”
Tamara was just a young woman with no real experience in charity work, yet she felt strongly about the plight of the children in Thailand. There was no big ‘a-ha’ moment or life-changing event, just the desire to help another human being.
She decided to host a dinner with friends at her home, just something small but fun where everyone could contribute a little. The night was a success and raised enough money to sponsor one of the AIDS orphans for an entire year. Tamara then organised another dinner which sponsored another child and it grew from there. After 12 months and 12 dinners, 12 AIDS orphans were sponsored.
Future Hope was born!
In the years since, Future Hope has evolved into a registered not-for-profit charity run by a dedicated team of volunteers who have become family. Covering a wide range of ages, a variety of occupations and quite different backgrounds, the common thread is their dedication to making a positive impact. They truly believe that Every Child Matters.
Tamara hosts annual trips to both Thailand and Uganda bringing sponsors, supporters and volunteers face-to-face with the children whose lives they are changing and the people on the ground who are making it possible. It is a truly transformational journey for all who have taken it.
While Future Hope has grown and changed over the years, there has remained a strong and consistent commitment to building and maintaining relationships – the relationship within the volunteer team, their relationship with sponsors, the relationship with the charities they support in Australia, Thailand and Uganda, and their relationship within the local community.