Sightsavers India or Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind, is a development organisation working with partners to reduce avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
Sightsavers India is collaborating with various departments of the respective state governments to scale up operations for Social Inclusion, Eye Health and Inclusive Education—our three core areas of work.
We work in a sustainable way to promote lasting change by strengthening existing health systems, seeking to engage with government, and by demonstrating best practices.
A large population of our country still resides in villages. Netra Vasant aims to improve vision-related quality of life through strengthened eye health systems in rural areas of India. The programme aims to achieve universal coverage vis-a-vis eye health services in rural communities of the 116 selected districts by reducing blindness prevalence, providing equitable coverage, and financial & programmatic sustainability.
We work in metropolitan cities to ensure comprehensive and sustainable eye health mechanisms for the urban slums of India. Simultaneously, Sightsavers India is working closely with the Ministry of Health and the National Urban Health Mission. Amrita Drishti integrates its vision centres with the government's Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs).
Under the gambit of this programme, we provide eye health services for students of rural districts attending government, non-government semi-aided private schools in the age group 5-18 (up to class-12), improving learning outcomes and enabling early detection.
One of India's most extensive eye health programmes, RAAHI, focuses on ensuring road safety by providing eye care services to the truckers’ community.The programme is spread across 54 locations across the Golden Quadrilateral and North South-East West (NSEW) network. We have permanent vision centres and pop-up outreach camps in locations where drivers stop as part of their usual route to rest or unload cargo. The use of a fully equipped mobile ophthalmology van makes eye health more accessible for commercial driving communities.
Sightsavers India aims to promote a positive and enabling environment in schools, families, and communities to support the holistic education of children with visual impairment. Under the Inclusive Education Programme, we ensure that children who are blind or visually impaired are included in mainstream education.
We work to equip people with disabilities with the skills (daily living, vocational training, etc.), tools and assistance they need to earn a living and lead an independent life. With a comprehensive approach to gender, we also provide adolescent girls with self-defence training and health and hygiene sessions.
Since its incorporation in 1966, Sightsavers India has been dedicated to providing optimal eye care for impoverished and underserved communities in the nation. Through relentless efforts and innovative initiatives, Sightsavers India continues to uphold its legacy of service and compassion, striving to create a world where preventable blindness and disability are things of the past.
We have received recognition through awards and felicitations from across the sectors, which serve as powerful validation of the positive change we are creating in the lives of millions.
Kajal, a 24-year-old trailblazer from Durg, Chhattisgarh, has shattered stereotypes by becoming the first lady truck driver in the state. Kajal’s remarkable journey is not just about steering heavy vehicles through challenging terrains; it’s about breaking barriers and proving that gender should never be a limitation...
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Meet Sunni Bai, a resilient 60-year-old widow in Katni, Madhya Pradesh. She hails from one of the High-Impact areas identified by Sightsavers India under its Rural Eye Health Programme in the Katni district...
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Aysha, a High School student, finds herself on a journey of hope and transformation. Her father, Asadul , toils as a daily wage earner, striving to provide for their modest livelihood...
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