Testimonial:
Name: Mangilal
Gender: Male
Age: 57 Years
Occupation: Rug Weaver
Location: Chinmana Village, Rajasthan
Mangilal belongs to the Chinmana village in Rajasthan, India. He came to know about the Vision Screenings and Eyeglasses Distribution Outreach Program through the announcements that were being made by the VSF team. He was suffering from severe headaches but was unaware about the reasons, which had hampered the quality of his work as a rug weaver.
Mangilal was thankful to the efforts of the VSF team as now he would be more productive at work and would be able to perform the weaving work efficiently, without seeking for help from his other fellow workers.
He also expressed the need for VSF to set up such programs in the nearby villages more often as these villages lacked basic healthcare facilities. He assured to spread the word around so that more and more people from his village can visit the outreach program and get their eyesight tested.
C. Improving the lives and productivity of the communities in Punjab through COVID-safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses
Background and Scope:
Clear Vision Punjab: The objective is to increase productivity of people of Punjab and Chandigarh by restoring vision through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses. The plan is to conduct eye-screenings of people in Punjab and Chandigarh in India. Eyeglasses would be provided to those who them who require them.
Project Locations:
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) has conducted the vision screenings and eyeglasses distribution outreach program within a radius of 75 kms. from Mohali in Punjab and has provided eyeglasses to those who required the same. The eye-screenings were done by following stringent COVID-safety protocols and creating awareness to protect people from the COVID pandemic.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st April 2021 to 30th June 2021:
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 1,340 community members in Punjab in India. Out of those screened, 39% (n = 521) were males and 61% (n = 819) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 76% (n = 1,019) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 5% (n=72) identified with suspected cataract and 2% (n = 31) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 91% (n = 931) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 45% (n = 421) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 55% (n = 510).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 81% (n = 757) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach.
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 91%.
Please Note: 1,340 eye-screenings were done between 3rd April 2021 and 27th April 2021 and 931 eyeglasses were distributed/dispensed. The project is currently going on.
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Programs/Projects Undertaken between 1st April 2021 and 30th June 2021:
A. COVID response and relief activities with tea garden workers and tea tribes in Assam in India
Background and Scope:
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) identified 2,000 tea garden workers, their families, and associated tea tribes in the Borjan and Lamabari Tea Estates in Assam in India. VSF supported them by organizing COVID response and relief activities to become COVID-ready and prepare them to face the pandemic.
The activities included:
a. COVID awareness creation.
b. Training on hand hygiene, mask wearing, and social distancing protocols.
c. Distribution of hygiene kits (consisting of soap, detergent, masks, and information/awareness materials) to 1,840 tea garden workers from the Borjan and Lamabari Tea Estates in Assam, out of which 1,200 kits were distributed in the Lamabari Tea Estate and 640 kits were distributed in the Borjan Tea Estate.
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B. Improving the lives and productivity of artisans, weavers, and their households in Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan in India through COVID-safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses
Background and Scope:
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) conducted vision screenings and eyeglasses outreach program for the weavers and artisans, their families, and associated communities in the artisans and weavers’ clusters in various locations in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in India. The project may also be extended to other states in India. The Jaipur Rugs Foundation (JRF) also collaborated on this project.
VSF conducted eye-screenings by following below mentioned protocols to ensure that the premises is COVID-ready:
a. COVID awareness creation.
b. Training on hand hygiene, mask wearing, and social distancing protocols.
The objective of the project is to reach out to artisans, weavers and their households in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in India to conduct eye-screenings and distribute/dispense eyeglasses to those who require. The project also focused on the referral of cataract and other complex eye disease cases to nearby hospitals for further diagnosis and potential treatment.
2,235 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household members in the weaver and artisan clusters of Hardoi District (Uttar Pradesh) and Bikaner District (Rajasthan) were screened for vision. Eyeglasses were provided to those who required them and those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st April 2021 to 30th June 2021:
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 2,235 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household members in the weaver and artisan clusters of Hardoi District (Uttar Pradesh) and Bikaner District (Rajasthan). Out of those screened, 50% (n = 1,117) were males and 50% (n = 1,118) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 62% (n = 1,374) of all the screened individuals were identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 7% (n = 153) identified with suspected cataract and 5% (n = 113) identified with other complex eye diseases were referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4, Eyeglasses distribution: 92% (n = 1,268) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 57% (n = 686) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 42% (n = 582).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 95% (n = 1,199) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach.
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 92%.
Please Note:2,235 eye-screenings were done between 2nd April 2021 and 16th April 2021 and 1,268 eyeglasses were distributed/dispensed. The project is currently going on.
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F. COVID awareness, response, and relief activities across India
During the second wave of the COVID pandemic in India, VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) created awareness to prevent COVID and placed 13 oxygen concentrators (10 Litres) to support the patients of B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Sewa Society (Hospital managed by Society), Chandigarh, Civil Hospital, Nawanshahr, Punjab, and Civil Hospital, Banga, Punjab.
VSF also created awareness to prevent COVID and provided 11,040 units of COVID essentials/PPEs to the tea garden workers of Borjan and Lamabari Tea Estates in Assam.
VSF will continue with the COVID awareness, response, and relief activities across India in the coming days/months.
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VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) Activity Report: 1st April 2021 to 30th June 2021
Mission:
To provide eye-screening, primary eye-care services, and eye-health advice to the people at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid.
Current Scenario:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 700 million people in the developing world struggle with poor life quality due to bad eyesight. It is estimated that uncorrected vision results in $227 billion in lost productivity to the global economy. In India alone, an estimated 550 million (55 Crore) people require eyeglasses for vision correction. Blurry vision compromises one’s ability to work effectively, to read and learn in school, and to navigate surroundings with ease and safety. For many living in developing countries suffering from vision loss, a pair of eyeglasses could mean the difference between opportunity and loss of income and quality of life.
Activities:
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) is an NGO (not-for-profit) that does eye-screening for the poor people, provides primary eye-care services, and eye-health advice with FCRA Registration Number: 231661855. VSF also has the facility of providing eyeglasses to those who need them. VSF conducts community outreach activities and free eye-screening camps. The mobile eye-care units (vans) go to the remote interiors and provide last mile vision-care services to the poor. VSF also provides eye-care/eye-health advice centres and refers patients with complex eye diseases (such as cataract, etc.) to the nearest eye hospital. VSF helps change the lives of the poor people in India by aiding in restoring their vision.
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) has received a grant amount of INR 17,35,16,589.57 from 1st January 2020 to 30th June 2021:
Testimonial:
Name: Rekha Mathur
Gender: Female
Age: 38 Years
Occupation: Helper, Sewing Department,
Garment Factory
Factory Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Rekha Mathur has been working as a helper in the sewing department of a garment factory in Noida for the past 3 years. The Factory Welfare Officer encouraged all factory workers to get their vision checked through this program and thus Rekha became eager. Rekha got her eye-screening done and got a pair of reading glasses for her near vision problem. On putting on her new pair of eyeglasses, Rekha could instantly see clearly and was very happy and grateful to experience the gift of clear vision. She was thankful that now she would be able to be more productive at work and will also be able to perform her daily activities, such as threading the needle, efficiently and comfortably without having to seek support from her colleagues.
E. Improving the lives and educational outcomes of children through the provision of eyeglasses
Locations: Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Assam
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) collaborated with multiple mission-aligned organizations/bodies such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) (Delhi), Community Eye Care Foundation (Pune, Maharashtra), Nagarik Swasthya Sangh (Kolkata, West Bengal), and National Health Mission (Cachar, Assam). VSF provided 156 eyeglasses to children through this initiative. This enabled these children to see clearly and would lead to enhancement of their educational outcomes as 80% of all learning is through vision. This initiative would help them actively participate in school and would contribute to making their future bright. The mobilization support was provided by the associated organizations/bodies.
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Testimonial:
Name: Surender Kaur
Gender: Female
Age: 37 Years
Occupation: Housewife
Location: Kanur Village, Punjab
Surender Kaur hails from the Kanur village in Punjab and came to know about the eye-screenings and eyeglasses distribution outreach program through her mother-in-law who encouraged her to get her vision checked as she was experiencing vision issues while watching television, reading newspapers, and doing simple household chores, such as segregating grains from rice and sewing. Her mother-in-law had also got her vision checked at the VSF outreach and had received a pair of reading glasses, which helped her see clearly. Therefore, she recommended Surender to get her eye-screening done. Surender was thankful that now she would be able to read properly and will be able to perform her daily basic activities efficiently and comfortably, without having to seek for support from her family members or friends.
D. Improving the quality of lives, productivity, and safety of factory workers by conducting the Clear Vision Workplaces (CVW) program in factories in Delhi NCR in India through COVID-safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses
Background and Scope:
The Clear Vision Workplace (CVW) program is designed to increase the coverage of vision screening and eyeglasses wearing among working-age adults in factories in India.
Eye-Screening Statistics*: 1st April 2021 to 30th June 2021:
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 5,136 workers in factories in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). Out of those screened, 65% (n=3,317) were males and 35% (n=1,819) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 61% (n = 3,117) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population:0.4% (n = 21) identified with suspected cataract and 1% (n = 66) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 99.83%(n = 3,112) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 47% (n = 1,470) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 53% (n = 1,642).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 65% (n = 2,024) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach.
6. Post-coverage ratein the population was 99.83%.
Please Note:5,136 eye-screenings were done between 3rd April 2021 and 24th April 2021 and 3,112 eyeglasses were distributed/dispensed. The project is currently going on.
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