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Matching Grant 21889 - 1,000 people will see again in India

This grant was sponsored by our Rotary District 6060, our neighbor in northwest Missouri, District 6040 and the project club, the Rotary Club of Bidar, India, located in Rotary District 3160.

Rotarian ophthalmologist Dr. Umesh Megur, a Past District Governor and member of the Rotary Club of Bidar is overseeing the project, just as he helped us with a matching grant last year in this same region.

Other Rotary Clubs around Bidar  are also participating by sponsoring surgeries and holding screening camps to locate  those patients who can be helped by these surgeries. 

The grant was applied for in late August 2002 and approved in October 2002.  Surgeries began soon after. All the surgeries were completed by late May 2003.

     The fellow to the right is a tailor, a young man of 45, a father of four young children and a husband.  His family was in despair last year, as this young man lost his eye sight and was unable to work. 
     Thanks to last year's Matching Grant between District 6060 and the Rotary Club of Bidar, this man was operated on and regained his eyesight. He was able to return to work and again support his family in a dignified life.
     

Since he discovered Rotary's concern for the blind, he has brought in 30 other blind people for surgery. He recently brought in this widow woman to his left. She and her children were living in absolute poverty, but now she has had eye surgery and can see again. 

These  three young Muslim women and their sister are being raised by their mother, who is working as a  maid.  Their father was a laborer and alcoholic and left the family to fend for themselves. All four sisters have hereditary developmental cataracts. Because they are partially blind, no one will marry them.  They have no money to get their eyes operated on by good hospitals.  

The sister pictured to the left had her right eye operated on at a government hospital and her lost the use of that eye totally.  Thanks to our Matching Grant with D6040 and the Rotary Club of Bidar, her left eye was operated on and her vision restored in that eye.
Another of her sisters also had surgery through our Matching Grant and her vision has been restored 100%.
The two younger sisters are both scheduled to have surgery in February 2003

To the right is a group photo of several patients who have been screened for cataract surgery. Most have already received their surgery and have returned for follow-up.

This lady to the left has had her left eye operated on at a government hospital and ended up having the entire eye removed.  She is blind from a cataract covering the pupil of her right eye as well.

While nothing can be done to replace her left eye, the cataract has now been removed from her right eye and her vision is restored. She appears much happier now to be able to see again.