A. Programs/Program Undertaken between 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024:
Improving the lives and productivity of Tea and Coffee tribes (tea and coffee garden workers and their families/dependents) through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses, in association with the Tea Estates in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
Background and Scope:
During the period of 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024, a total of 41,108 tea and coffee tribes and their household members were screened in the tea estates of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, India and 22,460 eyeglasses were provided to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was conducted in collaboration with the following organisations:
1. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of Assam India:
* Assam Project, Forest and Biodiversity Conservation, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, and Jorhat.
* SESTA, Biswanath and Sonitpur.
2.Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of West Bengal, India:
* Luxmi Tea, Darjeeling.
* Jalpaiguri Seva Sadan, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Siliguri.
* Seva Kendra Siliguri, Darjeeling.
3. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of Tamil Nadu, India:
* The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI), Theni.
4. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of Kerala, India:
* The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI), Idukki.
5. Tea and coffee garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of Karnataka, India:
* The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI), Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 41,108 tea and coffee pickers and their households in the tea estates of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, India, among them 47% (n =19,408) were males and 53% (n = 21,700) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 62% (n = 25,612) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 28% (n = 7,048) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 81% (n = 5,704) identified with suspected cataract and 19% (n = 1,344) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to the Government/other hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 88% (n = 22,460) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 57% (n = 12,826), Pre-cuts: 10% (n = 2,295) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 33% (n = 7,339).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 92% (n = 20,629) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach program.
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 88%.
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) Activity Report: 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024
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 outreach program. The mobile eyecare 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 FCRA grant amount from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2024 as per the table below:
Testimonial:
Name: Archana Das
Gender: Female
Age: 39 Years
Occupation: Tea picker
Location: Sonitpur, Assam
Archana Das, the sole breadwinner of her family, has been working tirelessly in the tea garden for the past seven years. Recently, she began experiencing difficulties while working, including slight headaches and blurred vision after prolonged periods in the field. To cope, she would often take short breaks, but noticed her work pace had slowed. She underwent a thorough checkup at eye-screening outreach program and received a pair of eyeglasses. Overjoyed with her newfound clarity of vision, Archana feels more confident and productive in her work. She encourages her fellow workers and friends to visit the outreach program.
Testimonial:
Name: Shilpa
Gender: Female
Age: 14 years
Occupation: Student
Location: Patiala, Punjab
Shilpa is Class 10th student from Government Senior Secondary School, in Patiala. She mentioned that she used to see distant things blurry, and her eyes were watery most of the time. After getting her eyes tested, she was provided with a pair of eyeglasses on the spot. Wearing it she was instantly able to see everything clearly. She felt a significant difference in her vision. This is the first time she has worn glasses, but she is happy about it because it is helping her see better. She also mentioned that she has been explained how to take care of her glasses which she will follow.
Testimonial:
Name: Mudasar Khan
Gender: Male
Age: 9 years
Occupation: Student
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Mudasar is a 4th Class student from Primary School, Sagamu, Lucknow. He had blurry vision and with new eyeglasses, he can see the world clearly. He said with clear vision things are better all-around and he can see his friends from a distance which is a great experience, and he wants to share it with his friends and family.
E. Ensuring road safety and wellbeing of Commercial and Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) drivers in the state of Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh, India through Vision-Screenings and provision of eyeglasses, in association with State, Regional and District Government.
Background and Scope:
During the period of 1st October 2024 till 31st December 2024, a total of 8,998 commercial drivers and allied transport workers were screened at the transport hubs, Bus deports and Regional Transport Office highway passing area of Jalandhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, and Ludhiana (Punjab and Chandigarh), Bangalore (Karnataka), and New Delhi (Delhi NCR); and 3,326 eyeglasses were provided to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was conducted in collaboration with the organisation called, All India Motor Transport Congress, New Delhi and with permissions from Director Health and Family Welfare, Punjab; State Transport Commissioner, Punjab; Chandigarh Transport Undertaking & Director Transport, Union Territory, Chandigarh; Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, Regional Transport Offices at Jalandhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, and Ludhiana, Karnataka Goods and Transport Association, Bangalore and Touch of Color, Mohali, Punjab.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2024 till 31st December 2024:
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 8,998 commercial drivers and allied transport workers were screened at the transport hubs, Bus deports and Regional Transport Office highway passing area of Jalandhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, and Ludhiana in Punjab, Chandigarh (UT), Bangalore (Karnataka), and New Delhi (Delhi NCR), among them 98% (n = 8,823) were males and 2% (n = 175) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 61% (n = 5,407) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 3.6% (n = 325) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 2% (n = 175) identified with suspected cataract and 1.6% (n = 150) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 61% (n = 3,326) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 72% (n = 2,374), Pre-cuts: 8% (n = 275) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 20% (n = 677).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 84% (n = 2,791) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach program.
Testimonial:
Name: Ashwani Kumar
Gender: Male
Age: 44 Years
Occupation: Driver
Location: Ludhiana, Punjab
Ashwani Kumra, a bus driver with 24 years of experience, had been struggling with vision issues while driving. During a routine visit to the Ludhiana bypass RTO area, he attended VisionSpring's eye-screening outreach program. Pleased with the accessible and smooth services, he expressed gratitude for the thoughtful initiative. Ashwani urged fellow drivers to prioritize eye checkups, emphasizing the importance of clear vision for their safety and the safety of others on the road.
Testimonial:
Name: Vinod Chaurasiya
Gender: Male
Age: 33 Years
Occupation: Handlooms Weaver
Location: Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Vinod Chaurasiya struggled with blurred vision, which affected his daily tasks. After attending a local eye-screening program, he received a pair of eyeglasses that corrected his vision. Grateful for the improvement, he shared his experience with his community, encouraging others to prioritize regular eye checkups and benefit from similar outreach programs.
C. Improving the lives and productivity of Factory worker in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses.
Between 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024 3,792 factory workers were screened for vision in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and New Delhi and 2,167 eyeglasses were provided to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was in collaboration with the following organisations in India:
* Bhadohi Carpet, Uttar Pradesh.
* Creative Knots, Uttar Pradesh.
* Heritage Overseas, Uttar Pradesh.
* Looms and Knot, Uttar Pradesh.
* Maaria Rugs, Uttar Pradesh.
* Mabood International, Uttar Pradesh.
* Vikram Carpet, Uttar Pradesh.
* Jayson Industries, Delhi.
* Matrix Design and Industries, Haryana.
* Priyanka India, Haryana.
* Shivaay International, Haryana.
* Radiaant Expovision, Uttar Pradesh.
* Good Weave, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024:
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 3,792 factory workers in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, India, among them 81% (n = 3,057 were males and 19% (n = 735) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 67% (n =2,538) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 3% (n = 65) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 66% (n = 43) identified with suspected cataract and 34% (n =22) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 85% (n = 2,167) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 46% (n = 1,002) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 45% (n = 984) and Pre-Cuts: 8% (n = 181).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 90% (n =1,944) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach program
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 85%.
B. Improving the lives and productivity of artisans, weavers, and their households in Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in India through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses.
Between 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024, 23,213 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household were screened for vision in the weaver, artisans and spinners clusters of Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu and distributed 15,982 eyeglasses to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was in collaboration with the following organisations in India:
* Nekara Horata Samithi Weavers, Karnataka.
* Kasrawad Handloom, Madhya Pradesh.
* Rotary Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.
* CPO Nagaland, Nagaland.
* Human Resources Foundation, Tamil Nadu.
* Mubarakpur Handloom, Uttar Pradesh.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 23,213 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household in the weaver and artisan clusters Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in India, among them 47% (n = 10,963) were males and 53% (n = 12,250) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 75% (n = 17,496) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 14% (n = 2,459) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 65% (n = 1,592) identified with suspected cataract and 35% (n = 868) 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 = 15,982) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 46% (n = 7,337) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 44% (n = 6,961) and Pre-Cuts: 11% (n = 1,684).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 94% (n =15,085) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye-screening outreach program
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 91%.
Vision wall installation in Government Model School in Kishangarh, Patiala, Punjab
Locations: Assam, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi NCR in India.
VSF collaborated with multiple mission-aligned organisations/bodies such as Piramal Kaivalya Education Foundation in Udalgiri and Barpeta (Assam), Pratham in Baran (Rajasthan) and Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Basic Shiksha Adhikari in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Mehar Chand Mahajan Vidyawati Charitable Trust in Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) and Mawsynram (Meghalaya), Uma Public Junior High School in Delhi (Delhi NCR), Rural Development Trust in Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Kirori Mal College in Delhi (Delhi NCR), Government Senior Secondary School in Lasara (Punjab), and Joti Foundation in Patiala (Punjab). Please refer to Table 1 for detailed information.
VSF conducted eye-screenings of 85,615 children and provided 7,006 eyeglasses from October 2024 to December 2024. These eyeglasses helped children see clearly and improved learning outcomes as 70% of learning is through vision. It helps children to actively participate in school and would contribute to making their future bright.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2024 to 31st December 2024:
1. Distribution of children screened: Screened 85,615 children in various states of India.
2. Eyeglasses distribution: 7,006 eyeglasses were distributed to the children who had refractive error.
3. First Time Wearers (FTWs): Out of 7,006 eyeglasses distributed to the children, 6,057 were the first-time eyeglasses wearers.
Testimonial:
Name: Rajbahadur Saksena
Gender: Male
Age: 55 Years
Occupation: Factory Worker
Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Rajbahadur Saksena has been struggling with blurry vision and relying on others for help at his workplace. At the outreach program after vision screening, he was thrilled to receive a brand-new pair of eyeglasses that perfectly corrected his vision. With his new eyeglasses, Rajbahadur could see everything clearly, read text messages with ease, and work independently with confidence. He beamed with joy and gratitude, thanking the entire team for their help and support.
D. Improving the lives and educational outcomes of children through the provision of eyeglasses.
