Social Impact

Amulu Ranjith is a 42 year old widow from a small village of Tirrupattur about 300 kilometres from Coimbatore. She works as a house-help and is a sole breadwinner for her three children. “I have no financial support from anyone.” She says sadly. In February, 2023 Amulu realised her eyesight was failing – people became stilettoes and bright lights became dull balls of yellow. She suffered from severe nutritional deficiencies because of which the reasons of her failing eyesight could not be identified at first at the local health centre. “I haven’t been able to earn anything since past three or four months. How can I? I live on a highway. I could not see any vehicles even!” Amulu describes how she could not cross the road or walk on the road due to loss of sight. She could take no risk as a lone surviving parent of her children. Without Amulu’s income, the family was plunged in despair. It was around this time in May, 2023 that she attended a meeting of Magalir Suyaudhavi Kuzhu, the local women’s self-help group. Learning about the Sankara Eye Camp here gave Amulu a new ray of hope. She visited the Camp site and was brought to the base hospital at Coimbatore later on. Post her cataract surgery, not just her vision, but her confidence has returned. “Only 40 days now”, she says quoting her recovery time, “I can return back to earning. I am confident that I’ll be able to cross the highway now!”

Many of us who can read this story cannot imagine being unable to navigate a road let alone not having a wage to feed our children for four long months. Lives like Amulu’s are steeped in darkness with little ability to change their circumstances without our help. And that’s what we do best at Sankara – leading those lost to night into light, once again. 

Sennenjan represents 65% of rural India with agriculture as livelihood. Hailing from a small town near Chithode in Tamil Nadu, India, he grows corn and horsegram – both poor man’s grains. Sennenjan is one eyed – with permanent blindness in his right eye. His family of three young children and a wife depend on him for sustenance. Sennenjan is also involved in daily labour – it was during one such a day that Sennenjan suffered an injury to his only remaining good eye. While breaking stones with a hammer as a part of his daily wage work, he suffered an injury to his left eye. There are no speciality hospitals available anywhere near Chithole village where he could take any treatment for his eye. Not just his eye, but the very sustenance of him and his family was threatened due to impending blindness.

At this time, when all seemed lost, Sennenjan received information of the upcoming Sankara Eye Camp at Chithole at his local Sai Baba temple. “It was god sent” he says. In April, 2023 Sennenjan visited the Sankara eye camp and was brought in for surgery at the Coimbatore base hospital. “I could not see even the person sitting right next to me” he says. But after the surgery complete vision has been restored in his injured left eye by Sankara’s expert surgeons. Sennenjan who couldn’t see the person next to him, beamed happily for the camera after surgery. He didn’t need telling as to where the camera or the photographer was. His smile spoke more of his happiness than his words ever could. “Also, please add that there were no needles involved!” he laughs. Sennenjan’s laugh that returned after a dark gloom of blindness is a testament to the severe need of eye care providers like Sankara for rural India.

Forty-five year old Sankar from Ulundurpettai is a daily wager with three children. His son works as a driver to make ends meet. From January of 2023, Sankar suffered from severe pain in his right eye. He lost his sleep from the severity of pain and had to stop going to work due to failing sight. Sankar had no options of seeking any treatment in his village till he visited the Sankara Eye Camp on a fateful Sunday.

Sankar received information regarding the camp from his sister, also a beneficiary of Sankara’s Gift of Vision program. After visit to the camp, he was transported to the base hospital where he received treatment for his mature cataract. For Sankar, the relief from eye pain was most notable. “The operation happened with a lot of care”, he said, “the love I felt at Sankara was like no other.” At Sankara, patients like him are not just a charity cause or a number in a spreadsheet, they are all human beings – treated with respect, empathy and love at all times. Sankara’s mission not just gifts them with sight but also independence and self-respect.

Paneer Selvam carries the responsibility of his four younger siblings and his own two young children on his shoulders. Paneer and his wife work in construction. One hot afternoon, he fainted as he was working. He was diagnosed with iron deficiency at his local health centre and the centre asked Paneer to get his eye sight checked. The small village of Tirrupattur where he lives is devoid of any speciality facilities or options for affordable eye care. Due to lack of options, in spite of the medical advice, Paneer slowly started losing his vision.

Within a month of the health centre visit, he lost his vision enough to render him incapable of work. “My wife had to work day and night to provide for us all alone. So many mouths to feed and only one hand to provide!” he says with an emotion filled voice. This went on for about 3 to 4 months before Paneer came to know regarding the Sankara Eye Camp from a fellow worker. He was examined at the camp and brought in for surgery at the Sankara base hospital in Coimbatore where he was successfully operated for mature cataract. “I can now see the fan!” he says delightfully, “Would you believe I couldn’t even see the fan before?”  Paneer spoke from his heart to his fellow villagers with no availability of eye care in their own area. “Trust.” He says. “Trust them to take care of you. Your trust would be well placed and you will have your life back once again. They are good people.”

Yes Paneer, we at Sankara are indeed good people!

Maheswari is 55 with three children all of whom work in stone breaking and mortar laying at construction sites. It has been six months since Maheshwari has been out of work due to loss of sight. “I couldn’t see the bricks I was supposed to be laying” she says, “why would anyone pay me?” Maheshwari was out of work for 4 months before someone informed her of the Sankara Eye Camp by reading out a pamphlet they had received. Maheshwari visited the eye camp and then travelled alone to Coimbatore base hospital via Sankara Gift of Vision transportation.

After her successful operation and returned sight, Maheshwari has something to share especially with the women of her village: “This was the first time I travelled anywhere, and that too alone! But you don’t be afraid” she says, “They will take a very good care of you the way they cared for me. I am safe and happy. Accept the gift of vision without fear.” At Sankara, our task is made all the more immense by the fact that we do not just offer a Gift of Vision, we also work towards continuous reassurance to our patients that they are in safe hands. It is through tireless efforts that Sankara has built this unmatched trust with communities of 109 districts around India. Thank you Maheshwari, for trusting us to give you the Gift of Vision!