I dream of soaring the skies…

With the wings of my desire spread far and wide…

I dream of meeting new worlds within this world…

And gather new wisdom-filled pearls…

I dream that my life will be a beautiful conquest…

Where the sun, stars, and cottony clouds will cheer me on…

I dream I will achieve it all as the pilot of my fate.

Little Yasin, whose heart cradled a dream of becoming a pilot would’ve had to punctuate it to merely words had he not received the medical aid in time for his poor eyesight. Today, we as a country, whose children are so bright and sprightly, could hit the edge of a downward spiraling future, if we do not understand the current changes that are bringing in a force of new challenges for the children of India. We want the children of India to dream the biggest dream and we want to give them the best tools possible to accomplish those. But in the dynamic times that we live in, our young samaritans need us more than ever. And here’s why …

During the 2020 pandemic, when the world almost came to a screeching halt, everything went through a major shift. Including the classrooms of the children. A massive number of children made a mass migration to online learning. And even prior to the pandemic, a lot of educational resources were being shared with the children through the digital medium of computers and other devices.

This transition from the traditional methods of skimming through books to now hours of scrolling has created a direct impact on the vision of the children. Increased screen time, up close reading without protection, consuming online matter in the dark, and many more factors create a lot of undue stress on the eyes of the child. The study states that almost 15-20% of children who are part of schools are in dire need of vision correction. And this has become a growing concern in the current times.

Good vision is directly proportional to seamless learning in the classroom. According to research deployed by JJ Hospital and the state’s Health Department, which covered 7.5 lakh students across public and private schools from south Mumbai to Sion, it was revealed that approximately 91000 kids suffer from Myopia. That means the future of nearly a lakh children is at stake. The survey carried out under the Union Government-sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan brought to light the fact that nearly 71000 students with eye defects were exposed to mobile phones. A gadget that has almost become inseparable from our lives, especially children, who are glued to it almost 24X7. And this number has starkly increased post-pandemic.

Imagine the awful struggle that these tender beings go through on a daily basis, where the words on the blackboard or the books appear blurred, leaving them clueless about the concepts and theory. This, in fact, is a huge challenge as nearly an average of, 23-30% of kids in India are affected with Myopia.

Hence the task force at Ratna Nidhi nose-dived into the process of devising a solution that could keep the children at bay from such a situation. So that they do not have to compromise on their educational potential due to financial inability and receive aid for vision correction sans any apprehension.

Setting up periodic vision camps to create a well-educated future force for India.

The team at Ratna Nidhi believes in making every initiative a seamless affair for its own team as well as the recipient party. This is why our warriors create a system that is easy to adapt, execute and measure outcomes. Here’s a sneak peek into how we go about conducting our vision camps.

PRE - CAMP

● Reaching out to the schools to figure out the need for the vision camp.

● Scheduling the meeting with the dean of the school.

● Checking for facilities at school to facilitate the vision camp.

● Ensuring the presence of volunteer teachers to execute the process in a smooth manner.

● Creating a datasheet of the students to be screened.

● Fixing a point of contact at the school.

● Fixing the camp date.

AT CAMP

● Appointing a team of 2 professional & experienced optometrists to conduct the eye-checkup camp along with the Ratna Nidhi staff.

● Setting up the machines at the vision campsite to conduct the screenings.

POST CAMP

● After the camp, a list is sent out via the school with all the details collated during the camp.

● Once the data arrives, we begin manufacturing the spectacles at Ratna Nidhi.

● As the batch gets prepared, the spectacles get labeled with the name of the school name, the name of the student, standard, vision no., and gender.

● They are then delivered to the respective schools through our courier partners.

A glimpse of team Ratna Nidhi hard at work so that the children of this country can become well-rounded individuals without any visual hassles.

You can save a child from heading toward an empty future. You can truly be their ray of hope and guiding light. Let your kind donations erase the probability of darkness being their ally.

Achievements

Hand in hand we have walked to carve a new world for the children. Step by step, unmoved by the challenges, we created a milestone.

Today, our efforts have painted a rewarding picture. Today, we feel we have championed as we have made more than just a donation. Today, we are certain that though the journey may be long, we are willing to cover every inch of that ground with our compassionate outreach to these children through our vision project. And it’s the kindness garnished with the empowerment of organizations like Essilor Luxottica Foundation, that births a meaningful collaboration through which we have been able to touch several lives.

● No. of camps 123

● No. of schools 96

● No. of students screened 44996

● Total no. of specs prescribed 5486

More than forty-four thousand nine hundred students can now continue their academic journey with a corrected vision. And children with poor vision can soak in the bliss of high-grade Essilor Luxottica spectacles free of cost.

How does a mere spectacle donation impact many lives at once you wonder? Here’s your answer:

Students

● Behavioral change.

● Amped up confidence.

● Increased participation in classroom activities.

● Better self-esteem.

● Engagement with peers.

● Willingness to take on challenges.

● Improved learning curve.

● Access to more learning and professional opportunities through improved vision.

● Creates a classroom of motivated individuals who feel seen and heard.

● Fosters a positive attitude among children.

● Brings about a considerable difference in their academic performance.

● Development of a healthy mindset towards classroom interactions and external interactions.

● Active participation in sports, art, and other extracurricular subjects.

Parents, Teachers, and Society at large.

● Reducing the gap between urban students and rural students.

● Creating awareness among parents and teachers for regular eye checkups for students.

● Imparting the importance of a good vision for enhanced academic growth.

● Cultivating the roots of social development.

● Promotion of equity and social justice.

● Ensuring the economic background doesn’t qualify as a base factor for academic potential.

● Sends a message of hope and care among the children who finally feel like a visible part of society.

Our glorious trail of leaving no stone unturned to give this country its young visionary trailblazers.

Stories

Education is the key to unlocking the world. It is the passport to freedom. - Oprah Winfrey.

The education of a child is as crucial as the three basic necessities of food, shelter, and clothes. But in a diverse and growing country like ours, where the resources are getting increasingly scarce, parents of several millions of children are unable to provide for them in a complete sense. Amidst this ongoing struggle, when a child encounters a medical setback like poor vision, and never finds enough support or doesn’t have the provision of facilities for a check-up, they are unknowingly setting themselves up for a future where their opportunities are snatched away even before they arrive.

Hence Ratna Nidhi’s team resolved to put an end to this alarming problem so that the life of these children could bloom with endless possibilities and their education was never cut short. The vision project in collaboration with Essilor Luxottica Foundation has borne beautiful fruits in the form of hopeful stories that we’d like to share with you.

Mohammed Yasin Anis is a 14-year-old boy who lives in a small room in Mumbai with his family. His father works as a cleaner and earns around 10,000 rupees per month, while his mother is a housewife. The family rents their home and pays 3,000 rupees in rent each month.

Yasin has one younger sibling who also attends the same school as him. Despite the family’s financial struggles, Yasin has big dreams of becoming a pilot. However, he has been facing difficulties in school due to his poor eyesight. Yasin had never gotten his eyes tested before, but he was aware that he was having trouble seeing the board and reading his textbooks. His family could not afford to buy him a new pair of glasses, so he struggled to keep up with his studies.

Fortunately, the Ratnanidhi Trusts Vision for All project came to Yasin’s school and conducted eye check-ups with high-quality auto refractometers and optometrists.

They discovered that Yasin needed glasses to correct his vision. Thanks to the project, Yasin was able to get a pair of world- class Essilor luxottica spectacles that fit him perfectly.

Now that he has his new glasses, Yasin is able to read his textbooks and see the board clearly. He no longer struggles to keep up in class and is able to focus on his studies. His parents are overjoyed to see their son finally able to read and study better. Yasin is excited to work hard and achieve his dream of becoming a pilot, now that he has the tools to succeed.

The Ratnanidhi Trust’s Vision for All project has made a huge impact on Yasin’s life, giving him the gift of clear vision and a brighter future.

Pranjal Sameer Pawar is a 12-year-old girl studying in 6th standard at Swami Shamanand High School in Ghatkopar's Bhattwadi. She is the eldest of three siblings, and her father is a clerk earning approximately Rs. 12,000 per month, while her mother makes chapatis at a house for a salary of Rs. 2,000 per month. They live in a rented house that costs them Rs. 4,000 per month. Pranjal's dream is to become an astronaut, and she is determined to work hard to achieve her goal.

However, Pranjal was facing a significant challenge in her studies due to her poor eyesight. She had never had her eyes tested before and was struggling to read from the blackboard and take notes accurately. Her parents couldn't afford to get her a pair of glasses, which meant she was falling behind in her studies.

That was when the Ratnanidhi Trust's Vision for All project stepped in to help Pranjal.

With their high-quality auto-refractometers and optometrists, they checked her vision numbers and provided her with world-class Essilor luxottica spectacles, free of charge. Pranjal was thrilled with her new glasses, and her parents were delighted that their child could now read and study correctly.

Pranjal's new spectacles have made a tremendous difference in her academic performance. She can now see the blackboard clearly, read accurately, and take notes with ease. Her grades have improved significantly, and she is now more motivated than ever to achieve her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Pranjal's parents are happy that their child can now study better and have a brighter future. The spectacles have also helped the family save on the cost of spending money on expensive glasses, which they couldn't afford.

In conclusion, the Ratnanidhi Trust's Vision for All project has made a significant impact on Pranjal's life by providing her with the spectacles she needed to succeed in her studies. Pranjal's dream of becoming an astronaut is now within reach, and her parents can rest assured that their child has a brighter future ahead of her.

Mayuresh Pawaskar, a 13-year-old boy from Mankhurd West, was struggling to see the blackboard clearly in school. He had been prescribed spectacles during an eye check-up earlier, but his family couldn't afford to buy them due to financial constraints. Despite his parents' efforts to manage the household expenses on a single income, they found it difficult to make ends meet. Mayuresh's father worked as a housekeeper and earned approximately Rs. 10,500 per month, which barely covered the family's basic necessities.  

Mayuresh's family lived in a rented house that cost them Rs. 4,500 per month. He had two siblings, one in college and another in school, who were also dependent on his father's income.

Mayuresh dreamed of becoming a sports player, but his poor eyesight was becoming a hindrance to his academic performance. His parents believed that spectacles could help him study well and score good grades. However, the cost of good quality spectacles was beyond their means.

Fortunately, Ratnanidhi Trust's Vision for All project came to their rescue. The project provided high-quality machines and optometrists to check Mayuresh's vision numbers. After determining his vision needs, the trust provided Mayuresh with world-class Essilor spectacles that met his prescription requirements.

The spectacles made a significant difference in Mayuresh's life. He could now see the blackboard clearly in school and concentrate better on his studies. With improved academic performance, he was closer to realizing his dream of becoming a sports player.

Mayuresh and his family were grateful to Ratnanidhi Trust's Vision for All project for their support. The trust's intervention not only helped Mayuresh's academic performance but also boosted his confidence and motivation to pursue his dreams. Mayuresh's parents were relieved that they no longer had to worry about the cost of spectacles and could focus on providing a better future for their children.

Imagine yourself in the shoes of a child who is barely able to read, write, or perform. Whose friendships and learning are hindered because of poor vision. Whose life ahead feels like a big blurry question mark that time drew but awaits a kind hand that can wipe it away. Be that helping hand. Be that heart of hope.

Testimonials

We have sown the seeds of goodness. And now a garden of wellness and learning has begun to bear blossoms at these academic centers.

Prachi Pukale, female - 9th D, 14 years, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil School “I never even knew I had weak eyes. Having spectacles has ensured that now I can see everything clearly”

Trupti Vijendra Vasane - 7th A, 13 yrs, Jawahar Vidyabhawan, Chembur, “Thank You Ratna Nidhi for Providing these spectacles”

Piyush Sandeep -  9th A, 15 years, Jawahar Vidyabhawan “I can now study, and play well too. I never realised I had vision problem till I got the spectacles. Thank you Ratna Nidhi”

Atiya Salmani rahman abdul - 6th A, Mapkhan Urdu high school, Andheri, “I thought everyone sees the way I see. But this is not correct. I never thought I had vision issue. Now I can see the blackboard clearly”

Mohammed Fazal Mohammed - 5thA, 10 years, Mapkhan Urdu School, “Thank you for spectacles. My parents would not have been able to buy this on their own. This is a big help”

Shivam Vidyamandir, Mankhurd - “Thank you for the eye check-up and the spectacles”

Creating a foundation for a better future, one school at a time. Vision Project by team Ratna Nidhi.

Click to View Entire Data Sheet

Tagore once said - You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Similarly, being aware of the fact that the children of this country need us, is not suffice. Securing their future through our kind actions and ensuring that their academic potential is met, is what will lead us to cross this sea of challenges. India’s young voice is calling you and it's not the time to let their pleas fall on deaf ears.

Every educated mind is a treasure trove of knowledge and creativity. Every mind is a dormant pathway to the wealth of wisdom unless activated by education.

India, being the land of hope, still has an enormous number of people who walk a thin rope to meet their daily needs. Several pockets of this country are filled with parents who do not understand the challenges of their children and thrive in remote spaces that lack access to basic medical facilities. And many children grapple with the obstacle of not receiving timely aid when it comes to vision correction.

It's time we align our actions to their needs. So that children hailing from impoverished backgrounds receive high-quality glasses without worrying about payouts. So that children can return to their true world of childhood with books in their hands and work their way up to bring glory to their motherland. Come, gift a child a vision. Let their eyes light up with your kindness.