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The Blind Foundation for India in a Jan. 12 news release announced it has raised $5 million.

The foundation was established in 1989 with a mission to prevent and cure blindness, and educate and rehabilitate permanently blind people in India.

There are over 15 million blind people in India which translates to one out of every three blinds in the world, the release from BFIs Indian American president Dr. Manu Vora said.

There is a power of prevention, such as $1 of Vitamin A drops administered from age 4-6, which prevents the child from going blind. That child getting education has a potential to earn $100,000 during his or her lifetime $1 investment leading to $100,000 benefit of exponential power, it said.

Additionally, in India it only costs $20 for a cataract operation as compared to $4,000 in the U.S.

The funds raised will be used to examine the eyesight of over 1 million adults. So far, BFI has conducted over 200,000 free cataract operations, donated 131 medical mobile vans to transport doctors and patients, and distributed over 10,000 Braille kits to blind children for their education. The major BFI focus is on prevention of Blindness through Child Sight Projects. Over 1 million school childrens eyesight has been examined and given free glasses, eye drops, Vitamin A, and in some cases, cataract operations, it said.

With Rotary International Matching Grants, BFI has completed 14 projects worth $500,000. About 75 percent of BFI funding is provided to various Ramakrishna Mission Centers throughout India for blind welfare work.

In 2012 with major BFI funding, OPD Hall and Consulting Rooms was established at the Vivekananda Eye Care Center at Shri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Rajkot, Gujarat.

Currently, they treat daily 500 OPD eyecare patients with 25-30 cataract operations per day performed all year round, the release said. In 2019, a new Cornea Transplant Center was added at SRA. In 2014, two Medical Mobile Vans were donated to the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, Varanasi, for regular outreach to rural communities surrounding Varanasi area, the release added.

In June 2004, BFI received a Daily Point of Light Award by the Points of Light Foundation. The foundation has also received Letter of Commendations from presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In meetings with the vice president of India, BFI updates were shared in 2001 and in 2004. In 2011, 30 BFI volunteers received a Volunteer Service Award from Obama.

More information about the foundation can be found by visiting http://www.blindfoundation.org.

Follow this link:
Blind Foundation for India Announces $5 Million in Funds Raised to Treat Blindness - India West

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