Rotary Clubs: Longstanding champions of sight

In the mountainous Kathmandu Valley of northern Nepal, one in five people lives with vision loss or blindness, according to the Country Data from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. For many families in these isolated areas, the journey to access even basic eye care is long, difficult and often impossible.

But through an inspiring partnership between Rotary Clubs and Operation Eyesight, eye health services are now reaching communities once left behind – thanks to innovation, compassion and more than 60 years of partnership. 

Vision on Wheels: A lifeline to rural communities

Powered by the Rotary Club of Simcoe, Vision on Wheels is a mobile eye unit that delivers vital health services directly to the doorsteps of rural families in Nepal. From vision screening and prescription eyeglasses to life-changing cataract surgeries and health education, the Mobile Vision Centre eliminates the barriers of geography and cost – restoring not only sight, but also dignity, hope and opportunity.

“Rotary International and local Rotary Clubs have long played a critical role in advancing global health initiatives, particularly eye health, and we are incredibly grateful for their longstanding support,” says Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, our President & CEO. “Together, we are now addressing the new and emerging causes of blindness and vision loss, renewing hope for families and entire communities.”

A legacy rooted in Rotary values

The connection between Rotary and Operation Eyesight runs deep. In fact, Operation Eyesight’s founder Art Jenkyns, seen in this archival photo (far left), was himself a Rotary member. Since the 1970s, Rotary Club Members have been instrumental in shaping the organization’s mission – contributing more than $1.4 M USD through more than 3,100 individual gifts, including $748,565 since 2020 alone.

Through these donations, Rotary members have supported Operation Eyesight in:

• Clean water and hygiene education projects
• Constructing and equipping vision centres in communities
• Funding mobile eye care units
• Training healthcare workers
• Connecting patients with sight-restoring surgeries
• Supporting health education and public outreach
• Clean water and hygiene education projects

Their impact spans continents – from the bustling cities of India to remote regions of Kenya, Zambia and Ethiopia. “I believe Rotary’s confidence in Operation Eyesight is rooted in our shared commitment to fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, supporting education and promoting gender equality, particularly for mothers and children,” Kashinath adds. “The collaboration between our organizations showcases how Rotary’s local presence and Operation Eyesight’s global reach can have a lasting impact on underserved communities.”

A Centennial vision becomes reality

In 2005, to mark Rotary International’s 100^th anniversary, the Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park, jointly with Rotary Zones 22, 5 and 6A, partnered with Operation Eyesight in an ambitious goal: to provide 100,000 free cataract surgeries across India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, through a “Partners in Vision” campaign.

A Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park Newsletter states that two major approvals were provided in December 2004, which covered 48,600 surgeries for a total cost of $1,065,000 USD. Operation Eyesight provided 50 per cent ($533,000 equivalent in USD) of the total funding matching every dollar raised by Rotary Clubs and Districts and other Rotary contributions. In June 2005, three other contributions were approved to fund an additional 16,400 surgeries for a total cost of $367,000 USD. To this amount, Operation Eyesight added 50 per cent (the equivalent of $184,000 USD) of the funding. Operation Eyesight also matched each Rotary dollar with professional expertise and local partnerships.

More than a surgical campaign, the initiative strengthened health systems by requiring participating hospitals to undergo training at the world-renowned L V Prasad Eye Institute – ensuring quality care and sustainability for years to come.

From boardrooms to boreholes

Rotary’s commitment goes beyond eye surgeries. Recognizing the link between clean water and eye health, especially in preventing trachoma – a devastating bacterial infection that causes irreversible blindness if left untreated – Rotary members have supported water and sanitation projects in Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia that protect and uplift communities.

In 2008, the Ridgewood Rotary Club of New Jersey funded a pump house and handwashing station at Kishermoruak Primary School in Kenya, where a borehole had been drilled by Operation Eyesight. This project now provides clean water to more than 1,000 people, transforming health and education outcomes for the entire community.

“Access to clean water not only prevents the spread of trachoma and other diseases, but also means young girls are able to attend school, because they no longer have to haul water long distances for their families,” explains Caroline Nginda Ikumu, Operation Eyesight’s Country Director for Kenya and Ethiopia.

“Through the generosity and vision of donors and partners, together we are building healthier communities.”

Looking ahead: a shared vision for the future

Our shared vision for a healthier, more equitable world continues to inspire many Rotary members to join Operation Eyesight’s global community. Rotary Clubs have the opportunity to partner on a variety of projects that bring eye health solutions to communities that need them most:

• Community-Based Eye Health – Including establishing vision centres, training community health workers and ensuring communities have sustainable, local access to care, now and into the future. Together, we can declare entire villages as Avoidable Blindness-Free.
• Village and School Outreach – Delivers screenings and services through mobile units and school programs, reaching remote areas and children with eye health screening, prescription eyeglasses, surgical referrals and transportation to hospital.
• Hospital Partnerships and Surgeries – Together we can enhance hospital infrastructure, equipment and staff training, as well as funding for sight-restoring surgeries like cataracts.
• Specialized Eye Health Initiatives – Includes programs for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). With support from clubs like Simcoe, Calgary at Stampede Park and Norfolk Sunrise, we have led a groundbreaking ROP screening and treatment initiative in Moradabad, India that is now expanding to five more cities, preventing irreversible blindness in premature infants. Rotary’s Global Grant funding is also enhancing its reach by sponsoring tele-ophthalmology and specialist training.

WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and Health System Strengthening – Integrates eye care with water, sanitation and hygiene, and works with governments to embed services into public health systems, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa.

A tribute to Rotary champions

Together with donors and dedicated partners, Operation Eyesight works with local governments and hospitals to create local eye health solutions that address the root causes of vision loss, including lack of access to fresh water, gender inequality, and inadequate education and access to health services. By leveraging the unique strengths of communities, we help ensure the impact of donors is felt long after a project is finished. 

Throughout the years, Rotary Clubs like Calgary West, Grimsby, North Scarborough and Norfolk Sunrise have consistently stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Operation Eyesight. Together, our work has transformed lives in communities across South Asia and Africa.

Partner hospitals in Operation Eyesight’s countries of work play a key role in the sustainability of services after projects end. In India, facilities established and supported by Indian Rotary Clubs remain key partners in our work to end avoidable vision loss on the subcontinent. The Mela Mal Sood Rotary Eye Hospital in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, pictured here at its inauguration in 1985, is one of more than two-dozen Rotary eye hospitals we work alongside in partnership and collaboration.

Through Rotary investments, eye health care is becoming a standard part of health systems in not only India but our other countries of work as well.

In addition to providing state-of-the-art affordable ophthalmic services, these facilities offer sight -restoring surgery, treatment and specialized care. Our Rotary partner hospitals in India often function as regional hubs for community outreach, supporting large-scale eye screenings and surgical camps in rural and semi-urban areas. It’s these local and international partnerships that make our work possible.

“Rotary’s confidence in Operation Eyesight is rooted in our shared commitment to fighting disease, providing clean water and education, supporting education and promoting gender equality,” says Bhoosnurmath. “Together, we are restoring sight, dignity and hope.”

One vision, countless lives transformed

The partnership between Rotary and Operation Eyesight continues to evolve. Through initiatives like the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)-Rotary International Service Partnership, Rotary Clubs are now helping integrate eye care into broader health systems, train local health workers and promote sustainable change.

As Operation Eyesight continues its mission to prevent blindness and restore sight for good, Rotary Clubs remain vital to making this a reality. The tireless energy, strategic leadership and generous spirit of Rotary Club members continue to serve as a beacon of what’s possible when we unite for a greater purpose.

Thank you, Rotary, for helping us see a brighter future – one person, one community and one gift at a time – For All The World To See! Operation Eyesight is excited to participate in the Rotary International Convention in Calgary in June 2025. Be sure to stop by our booth (#355) in the House of Friendship to learn more about our work with Rotary Clubs around the world. You can also visit operationeyesight.com/Rotary2025 for more information

The post Gratitude for 60+ years of Rotary support appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

“Our school eye health program is giving students more than just access to eyeglasses or sight-saving procedures,” says Dr. Ritu Ghosh, our Global Director of International Programmes. “Together we are giving children the chance to attend school, build social connections and thrive.” 

Using innovative technology, such as the Peek Acuity app and KoboToolbox, we are training teachers and community health nurses to identify and refer students with eyesight problems. This enables us to connect students and their families with eye health care as well as their local health care systems. 

“By equipping staff and teachers to identify eye health issues, and by creating a referral network with our partners, we are creating sustainable solutions that ensure families have access to eye health care long after a school eye health project wraps up,” Dr. Ghosh adds. 

In 2023 in Zambia, we provided primary eye care training to 20 school teachers from 15 schools. As a result, more than 3,500 students were screened for eye health issues, and 269 students received a free pair of eyeglasses. 

“These glasses are changing everything in my life for the better,” Salome says. “I am focusing on improving my grades so that I can become a doctor and help other kids like me!” 

“I spent many nights crying that I couldn’t be there for my mom who does so much for our family,” Isaac shares. “I feel more confident and happier now that my vision has returned to me.” 

“Our corporate elations program is an exciting opportunity for companies to financially support eye health initiatives and engage their staff by providing volunteer opportunities,” explains Subhadip Bhattacharya, our head of fundraising in India. 

The post Brighter futures ahead, thanks to school eye health programs appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

In 1988, while waiting for her semiannual eye exam at a local clinic in Vancouver, Canada, she saw a poster for Operation Eyesight on the wall. By then, Eileen had been at risk of glaucoma for 37 years. Frequent eye checkups were crucial to monitor the risk.

In 2004, she was diagnosed with closed-angle glaucoma, which could lead to severe increase in eye pressure and vision loss. Eileen’s vision was saved, thanks to regular checkups, quick diagnosis and immediate laser surgery.

Eileen then became an advocate for Operation Eyesight. Since her first gift in 1988, she has helped bring eye care to many across South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

A healthcare professional herself, Eileen worked for the welfare of others. In 1970, she volunteered as an X-ray technician in the Caribbean Island of Dominica. It informed her of the disparities in healthcare and deepened her love for humanitarianism. A few years later, she became one of the early technologists to learn ultrasound, a role she cherished for 39 years.

“I can only imagine what it would be like to be blind,” Eileen says.

“I believe in Operation Eyesight and encourage others to look into its programs.”

Thank you for your dedicated support, Eileen!

The post Decades of support, a lifetime of compassion appeared first on Operation Eyesight.