VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) Activity Report: 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023
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 2023 as per the table below:
Locations: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Haryana, and Punjab in India
VSF collaborated with multiple mission-aligned organizations/bodies such as Pratham in Sitapur and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh), Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Dausa and Jaipur (Rajasthan), Joti Foundation in Fazilka and Bathinda (Punjab), Navjyoti India Foundation in Bawana (Delhi NCR), Sampark Sathi Foundation in Delhi (Delhi NCR), Humanity Foundation in Delhi (Delhi NCR), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in Shahdara (Delhi NCR). Please refer to Table 1 for detailed information.
VSF conducted eye-screenings of 1,58,929 children and provided 22,723 eyeglasses from 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023. 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 2023 to 31st December 2023
1. Distribution of children screened: Screened 1,58,929 children in various states of India.
2. Eyeglasses distribution: 22,723 eyeglasses were distributed to the children who had refractive error.
3. First Time Wearers (FTWs): Out of 22,723 eyeglasses distributed to the children, 39% (9,077) were the first-time eyeglasses wearers.
Table 1:
Testimonials: Four Hands, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Name: Vijay Kumar
Gender: Male
Age: 36 Years
Occupation: Carpenter
Location: Sankara Handicrafts, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Vijay mentioned that he has been working as carpenter for more than 12 years. He has been experiencing frequent headaches, and after working long hours, he develops blurry vision, and require frequent breaks from his work. He visited the outreach program for eye-screening, and he was provided a pair of eyeglasses for his near vision problem. Vijay expressed his gratitude to the whole team for assisting him and providing him with eyeglasses which helped him to perform well in his profession. With the eyeglasses, he feels confident and works efficiently and productively.
D. Improving the lives and educational outcomes of children through the provision of eyeglasses.
Testimonial: Amalgamated Plantations, Assam
Name: Makandowa
Gender: Female
Age: 48
Occupation: Tea Garden Worker
Location: Dhekia Khua
Makandowa has been working in the tea estate over the years and this profession has been a subsequent source of income generation for her family. She registered herself and got her eyes screened. The optometrist examined her eyes and gave her eyeglasses. After wearing the prescribed VisionSpring Foundation eyeglasses, she noticed a difference in her eyesight which made it simpler for her to work efficiently in her profession. She expressed her gratitude to the whole team and expressed her happiness for the same.
B. Improving the lives and productivity of artisans, weavers and their households in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Ladakh, and Punjab through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses.
The objective of the program was to reach out to 54,826 artisans, weavers, and their households in the artisans and weavers’ clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Ladakh, and Punjab through eye-screenings and distribute 34,676 eyeglasses to those who require, as well as includes the referral of cataract and other complex eye disease cases to nearby hospitals for further diagnosis and potential treatment.
Between 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023, weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household were screened for vision in the weaver and artisan clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab and 34,676 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:
* Venkatagiri Municipality in Venkatagiri (Andhra Pradesh)
* Society for North-East Handmade Paper Development (SNEHPAD) in Bongaigaon and Golaghat (Assam)
* IWA Silk Farmer Producer (ISFPCL) in Kamrup (Assam)
* Meher Chand Mahajan Charitable Trust, Leh (Ladakh) and Chamba (Himanchal Pradesh)
* Village Care Society in Nagpur (Maharashtra)
* Doddaballapura Weavers in Bengaluru (Karnataka)
* Aasraa Foundation in Muktsar Sahib (Punjab)
* Joti Foundation in Bhatinda and Fazilka (Punjab)
*Jaipur Rugs Foundation in Alwar, Jaipur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, and Ajmer (Rajasthan)
* Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) in Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Agra and Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh)
*ACCESS Development Services in Kota (Rajasthan) and Cuttack (Odisha)
* Sanjay Mane Foundation in Surat (Gujarat)
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023
1.Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 54,826 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household in the weaver and artisan clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab in India, among them 46.4% (n = 25,450) were males and 53.5% (n = 29,371) were females.
2.Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 70% (n = 38,221) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3.Referrals made for the screened population: 71% (n = 6,989) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 70% (n = 5,013) identified with suspected cataract and 29% (n = 1,976) 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 = 34,676) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 53% (n = 18,423) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 37% (n = 12,827) and Pre-Cuts: 10% (n = 3,426).
5.First Time Wearers (FTWs): 91% (n = 31,456) 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%.
Pictures:
Testimonial:
Name: Hrithik
Gender: Male
Age: 13 years
Occupation: Student
Hritik, a student of class 8 shared that after the lockdown, he experienced weak eyes, as he could not see clearly. When he told his teacher about this, he was made to sit on the first bench to see the blackboard clearly. But, after the VSF outreach program at school he got his eyes tested. He received a pair of eyeglasses and was able to see clearly.
Programs/Program Undertaken between 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023:
A. Improving the lives and productivity of Tea tribes (tea garden workers and their families/dependents) through eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses, in association with the Tea Estates in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Background and Scope:
During the period of 1st October 2023 till 31st December 2023, a total of 64,403 tea tribes and their household members were screened in the tea estates of Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, India and 36,053 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:
* Goodricke Tea, Jorhat
* Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), Jorhat
* Farm to Food, Golaghat and Nalbari
* Every Infant Matter, Baksa Tea Gardens, Baksa
* Amalgamated Plantations, Powai Tea Estate, Tinsukia
2. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of Tamil Nadu, India:
*Rousdonmullai Tea Estate, Nilgiris
3. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents in following locations of West Bengal, India:
*Goodricke Tea, Dooars, Alidwarpur, and Darjeeling
*Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), North Bengal
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 64,403 tea pickers and their households in the tea estates of Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, India, among them 49% (n = 31,343) were males and 51% (n = 33,056) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 64% (n = 41,293) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 16% (n = 10,263) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 75% (n = 7,704) identified with suspected cataract and 25% (n = 2,559) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 87.03% (n = 36,053) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 60% (n = 21,544), Pre-cuts: 7% (n = 2,369) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 33% (n = 12,140).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 85.47% (n = 30,815) 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 87.03%.
Testimonial:
Name: Toufiq
Gender: Male
Age: 13 years
Occupation: Student
Toufiq, a student in class 8, shared that for the past month, he had been having trouble seeing things clearly. Although he informed his parents about it, they could not arrange eye-screening. It was only during the VSF outreach program at school that his eyes were examined for the first time. He received his first pair of eyeglasses, and he adores it. He wears eyeglasses regularly to school and he can see everything clearly