Since its creation, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has worked hard to ensure that each and every person from the communities we serve receive the treatment that they desperately need.
With this in mind, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has placed a heavy emphasis on ensuring that the youngest members of the community are rid of needless cataract blindness. Curing those from a young age creates a legacy of treatment. Curing children allows for them to receive an education and work towards building a better future.
Over the last few years, we have met several families whose children are suffering with some form of childhood cataracts that could easily be treated. The issue is that many of these families live in extreme poverty and in areas where healthcare is completely inaccessible. It is our role and mission to visit these areas and cure those in need for free.
Throughout our time in countries such as Bhutan, Ghana and Nepal we have met several children who have needed the vital surgery to restore their eyesight. One young girl, Bipana, received treatment to give her clear and healthy vision for the first time in her life.
At just 14 years old, Bipana had began to lose her vision and could no longer go to school and receive an education, leading her to miss school and stay home with her father. She lived in the remote hills of Nepal in Solukhumbu where there were no provisions for her blindness at home or in school.
When we visited Solukhumbu, we discovered Bipana and referred her for treatment immediately. She was treated within just a few days and had her vision completely restored. Bipana can now join in with her classmates and live a happier and healthier childhood.
More recently, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation teams came into contact with a family living in the Jajakot District of Nepal. The family of 6 was made up of parents, Bir and Tulsi, and their 4 children Lalit (12), Bindu (8), Binita (6) and Nabin (1). The youngest 3 children each suffered from congenital cataracts and needed to be treated as soon as possible.
Cataracts in children must be treated before they worsen and blind the child for life. The eldest of the 3, Bindu was 8 years old when she had her cataracts removed with doctors saying that this may have been the her last chance before any permanent damage was done.
The youngest child, Nabin, was only a baby when he was discovered to be suffering from cataract blindness. Much like his sisters, he was unable to complete basic tasks such as playing and his mother spoke about how he had trouble focusing on her.
Each of the children were invited to have their cataracts cured completly free of charge from the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation. Each child is now able to participate in school, help around the house and free up some time for their parents to earn a living to support the family.
You can learn more about this family below.
