Empower women in rural India to combat blindness

We are thrilled to announce that the Jiti Foundation will provide funding for a new Vision Center on the outskirts of Delhi, India that will open in 2025.  Your support has made this possible!  A major focus of the Center will be expanding access to vision screening and surgery for those with limited incomes, including young children such as Monika.  Diagnosed with eye cancer at the age of 4, Monika's family couldn't afford the life-saving surgery she needed and Monika soon became withdrawn from school and friends. With the help of Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, our partner in India, Monika was able to receive the surgery she needed and she is now a bright and happy student who is excelling at school.

In addition to vision exams, the new Vision Center will screen for cataracts which are the largest cause of preventable blindness in India.  In this area of Delhi, only half of the needed cataract surgeries are taking place each year, leaving many behind who could otherwise be treated.  Because of its location on the outskirts of Delhi, it will also be able to serve those in neighboring smaller towns and villages where access to basic vision care and cataract surgery has also been limited.

As is true of the other Vision Clinics funded by the Jiti Foundation, this clinic will be staffed by the Opthalmic Paramedics and other support personnel trained through Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, our primary partner. The Opthalmic Paramedic Program, a companion initiative and ongoing recipient of Jiti Foundation support, provides an exceptional pathway for young women to be trained for a stable and well-paying carreer. 

Many of the young women in this and recently expanded training programs are recruited from rural villages where opportunities for women are extremely limited.  Not only does this allow these young women to provide financial support to their families, including covering the school fees of younger brothes and sisters, but the connections between these young women and their home communities contributes greatly to the success of the Vision Centers. Thanks to your support and the dedicated work of the staff of the Vision Centers and Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, life is brighter for the growing number of women trainees and the growing number of communities and patients they serve.