NATIONAL INDIA SCHOOL EYE HEALTH PROGRAM
Let’s give eyesight back | In collaboration with Sightsavers Italia
“It has really saved the future of my child”
Our collaboration with SightSavers, one of the world’s most famous charities, sponsored by Queen Elizabeth, continues in 2020. We are giving or improving eyesight to thousands of school children in some suburban districts in India.
After supporting the project aimed at students from schools in Raisen District (Madhya Pradesh State, India), this year we will support the program in Kalahandi District in Odisha State.
The program will be integrated with some new activities in pilot schools.
The aim of the project is to provide those with vision problems with all the assistance they need (glasses, treatment or surgery). These pupils come from very poor families and often live in shacks without electricity or running water: school is the only opportunity they have to improve their condition, and they work hard to make this happen. However, if they can’t see their books or the blackboard, whether due to a cataract or a “trivial” refractive problem, they will lose this ultimate chance. The beneficiaries very young age (from the age of 5) allows them to have a long-term impact on the health and learning of new generations, literally transforming their future. The project is also consistent with several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The project aims to ensure that around 50,000 students will undergo an initial eye examination, around 4,000 students will undergo a refraction examination, and around 1,000 pair of glasses will be distributed. A total of 500 schools will be involved, and 60 Master Trainers and around 1,200 teachers will be trained.