In 2023, the Barzilai Foundation launched a partnership with the Sankar Foundation to conduct vision screening camps at government schools across India where students do not have access to basic vision healthcare. Eighty percent of blindness cases in developing countries are due to avoidable causes, and through these camps, medical professionals can identify vision issues before they progress and intervene to keep these students on track for a better quality of life.
Recently, we had the opportunity to conduct two more camps in Andhra Pradesh. Our third camp overall was a municipal high school in Gandhi Nagar, near Visakhapatnam, where we provided vision screening for 519 students. The following camp was held at the Zilla Parishad High School located in Chowduvada, a village in rural northern Andhra Pradesh. Another 474 students received comprehensive screening for eye conditions that would otherwise develop and obstruct their academic journey.
Between the two camps:
“Through these clinics, we’re reaching thousands of students and removing a major barrier that costs them their potential and a better future,” said Brandon Sosa, CEO of the Barzilai Foundation. “Every time we reach a new school, we see how vulnerable these students are due to a lack of healthcare access and the impact of creating that access.”
Josua is a bright, positive teenager for whom just being able to attend school has been an accomplishment. As a young child Josua was diagnosed with a hearing disorder. And now with his hearing aids failing, and Josua’s future is threatened.
Working with Round Table India, the Barzilai Foundation is working to give students a fighting chance. In two communities, the Barzilai Foundation is sponsoring the completion of two new school buildings.
Earlier this year, we launched a new program with MiracleFeet, to improve access to treatment for clubfoot in Morocco. In June, our team had an opportunity to visit three of the clinics our program is creating capacity to treat clubfoot.
Students in rural India can often lack access to medical care. For vision issues this can be severely limiting to their education and dangerous to their future.
Recently we re-connected with Amy after she returned home from a successful brain surgery. Back home and recovering well from her procedure Amy reflected on the past several months that saw both her life and her family's future put in peril.
Our Vision Screening Program conducted its first camps, reaching over 800 students in rural India. The camps were successful, reaching students without easy access to vision care. Over 250 students required intervention to protect their vision.