Our History in Avoidable Blindness Projects
In 2001-2002, with assistance from the International Co-Chairman of the Avoidable
Blindness Task Force Doyle Dannenberg we made contact with Past District
Governor (3160) Dr. Umesh Megur and District Governor (3020) Dr. K. Subba
Reddy and submitted Matching Grant applications to provide 2,900 eye
surgeries in southern India. These surgeries
were performed from late January through May 2002.
We have approximately 2,900 Rotarians in District 6060, so this
gave the opportunity for every Rotarian to sponsor at least one eye
surgery.
In 2002-2003, Governor Jerry McClanahan and our District
Leadership Council continued our support of eye surgeries in the
2002-2003 Rotary year. Grant applications were completed to fund
another 3,000 surgeries in India and Kenya. These surgeries
were
completed by the end of July 2003. We worked with
multiple districts and clubs from Denmark, Scotland, Virginia, Louisiana,
Missouri, and Illinois to complete these successful projects.
In 2003-2004, Governor Rick Tinucci and our Foundation
Grants Committee continued our support of eye surgeries.
Three matching grants were approved to fund 2,320 eye surgeries
in India and Bangladesh. We partnered with D6040-Northwest Missouri,
D6510-Southern Illinois, D6710-Western Kentucky, and
D7570-Virginia/Tennessee.
In
2004-2005, we submitted multiple matching grant proposals to
fund 10,000 Intra-Ocular Lens implantation cataract surgeries. This work
is still going on and will
give Rotary's Gift of Sight to 10,000 poor
blind people in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Thailand.
In 2005-2006, we submitted matching grant
proposals to fund more 2,200 IOL surgeries. And in 2006-2007, we have four
matching grants planned to fund 3,500 cataract surgeries and to buy a
"green" laser and other equipment for a Retinal Surgery clinic in eastern
India.
We have many international partners that partner with us
to help the less fortunate. They include the Avoidable Blindness Donor Advised
Fund, D4640-Parana, Brazil; D6040-northwestern Missouri; D6080-western Missouri; D6150-northern Arkansas;
D6170 - southern Arkansas; D6460-western Illinois; D6490 - eastern Illinois; D6510-southern Illinois;
D6670 -Ohio; D6690-Ohio;
D6710-Kentucky; and D7570-Virginia & Tennessee.
Update - April 2007 -
2001-2002
 | Matching Grant # 19651 to fund 1,500 eye
surgeries in D3160, India has been approved, funded and
is complete. |
|
Matching Gant # 19655 to fund 1,400 eye
surgeries in D3020, India has been approved, funded and
is complete. |
2002-2003
|
MG # 21889 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D3160,
India has been approved, funded and is complete.
|
|
MG # 22097 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D9200,
Kenya has been approved, funded and is complete.
|
|
MG # 22438 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D3130,
India has been approved, funded and is complete.
|
2003-2004
|
MG # 50754 to fund 1,200 eye surgeries in D3280,
Bangladesh has been approved, funded and is
complete. |
|
MG # 50765 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D3240,
India has been approved and funded, but was cancelled by the project
club - unable to supervise the project properly. All funds, plus
interest were returned to our Foundation. |
|
MG # 50830 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D3160,
India has been approved, funded and is complete.
|
2004-2005
|
MG # 54213 to fund 200 eye surgeries in D3350,
Thailand has been approved, funded and is
complete. |
|
MG # 54247 to fund 2,500 eye surgeries in D3280,
Bangladesh has been approved, but was later cancelled due to a
suspension of all projects in Bangladesh. |
|
MG # 54551 to fund 1,400 eye
surgeries in D3100, India has been approved and funded and
surgeries are nearly completed. |
|
MG # 54719 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in
D3160, India has been approved, funded and is complete.
|
|
MG # 54720 to fund 500 eye
surgeries for Afghan refugees living in camps in Pakistan, partnering
with RC of Hayatabad Peshawar, Pakistan has been approved, funded and
is complete. |
|
MG # 54851 to fund 1,000 eye
surgeries with RC of Calcutta Metropolitan South, D3290, India has
been approved and funded, with
surgeries underway. |
|
MG # 55300 to fund 2,000 eye
surgeries in D3190, India has been approved, funded, and
is complete. |
|
MG # 55775 to fund 700 eye
surgeries in D3160, India has been
approved, funded and is complete.
|
2005-2006
|
MG # 56008 to purchase eye examination equipment
and fund 25 eye surgeries in D4910, Argentina has been approved, funded
and is complete. |
|
MG # 58012 to fund 2,000 eye surgeries in
D3160, India has been approved, funded and is
complete. |
|
MG # 58153 to fund 200 eye surgeries in
D3350, Thailand has been approved, funded and is
complete.. |
2006-2007
|
MG # 60814 to fund 500 cataract surgeries
with the Rotary Club of Zaheerabad, India, D3150, has been
approved and funded, with surgeries being done at
this time. This project will also fund eye exams for 1,000 patients with
refractive error and provide prescription glasses to correct their
vision. It will also provide 500 pairs of safety glasses for
agricultural workers at high risk of eye injury which could lead to
corneal ulcers and cataracts. |
|
MG # 61986 to fund 1,000 eye surgeries in D3270,
Pakistan is approved. |
|
MG # 62332 to fund 1,500 cataract surgeries with
several clubs in D-3160, including Bidar and Dharmavaram, also will fund
2,000 eye examinations and 2,000 pairs of prescription glasses, and
another 1,000 pairs of safety glasses for workers at risk of eye injury
at work. This project is approved, we are waiting
on funding to arrive. |
|
MG # _______ to fund 200 eye surgeries in D3340,
Thailand is approved.
|
We actually began funding eye surgeries in
2000-2001 through Rotary International President Frank
Devlyn's "Avoidable Blindness Pool." That year our
district donated nearly $20,000 to fund eye surgeries throughout the
world. Those funds enabled over 1,300 surgeries to be
done.
In 2001-2002, we funded 2,900 surgeries.
In 2002-2003, we funded 3,000 surgeries.
In 2003-2004, we funded 2,200 surgeries.
In 2004-2005, we funded 6,800 surgeries.
In 2005-2006, we funded 2,225 surgeries.
In 2006-2007, we have funded 3,200 surgeries.
So, D6060 and our many partners
around the world have helped over 20,000 blind people regain
their eyesight.
Past District Governor Bill Schuck and Foundation Chair Todd
Lindley complete Matching Grant applications for 2,900 eye surgeries
in 2001-2002. |
Cataracts and subsequent loss of eyesight are very common among the
poor in India due to exposure to the very strong sun. It is reported that
India contains 25% of the world's blind. Also, that 80% of these
blind people have Avoidable Blindness that could be reversed through
this type of surgery. Here in the United
States it is routine to have cataracts removed and a new lens put in to
restore good vision. This is not available in India to the impoverished,
unless provided for through a program such as this. Once blind,
these people cannot work or take part in society.
Large cataracts completely coverboth eyes.
|
While it costs upward from $750 to have a cataract removed in the
U.S., we are able to fund our surgeries for an average of US $30.00.
It's amazing, you can bring eyesight back to a person for
$30!
The Matching Grant process can be very slow. It is very common for a
grant to be applied for in one year, and the project might not be able to
be done until the next year or even the second year following
application. To avoid this, our district is funding our portion of
the funds directly. This will enable the surgeries to be carried out nearly immediately
after the grants are approved.
|
Happy patient after surgery. He
can see again!
|
We continue to ask that all the Rotary Clubs in District 6060 will
encourage each of their members to donate $30 to the Annual Programs Fund
of The Rotary Foundation to sponsor one surgery. Some Rotarians may
want to sponsor more than one surgery. A $100 donation will sponsor more
than three surgeries.
Certificates are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader (pdf) format. They
can be filled in online and then printed in color or black and white to
present to Rotarians who sponsor one or more surgeries.
To help the district keep track of each club's progress, please:
|
Make
your checks payable to
The Rotary Foundation
|
|
and
|
|
Mail
them to District Foundation Chair Todd Lindley with a note that they are
for the eye surgery project.
|
All these donations
will be directed to Annual Programs, so they will assist your club in
achieving its per capita goal of $100 per member.
Eye Surgery
Certificates - when a donation is made as a gift. "In your honor,
a donation was made to sponsor "X" number of eye surgeries"
Eye Surgery
Certificates - when a donation is made in memory of someone as a
memorial donation. "In memory of...."
|
