Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh), 7 April, 2025: Indervati Devi, a homemaker, lives in Sidahawa village of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. She was suffering from failing eyesight in her middle age. With eyecare facilities few and far between in her village, the Adani Foundation's Vision Care Program was a ray of hope for the impoverished woman. She is indebted to the program for a quick and timely resolution to her "long struggle with eyesight."

"The Foundation's camp was easily accessible and the doctor was helpful. I got a pair of new spectacles following a thorough check-up. And all for free. Now, I feel assured of a safe and comfortable future," she said.

Typically, access to eye care remains a significant challenge in rural India, where inadequate infrastructure, lack of awareness, and financial constraints often impede the availability of essential vision-related services. The absence of timely and accurate eye care can severely affect individuals’ potential, especially school-going children, women, and elderly citizens. Children in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of poor eye care, which can have a direct impact on their academic performance and lead to lower literacy rates. Women face unique challenges when it comes to eye care. Cultural norms and gender biases, at times, restrict their access to healthcare, leaving their vision-related issues undiagnosed and untreated. This lack of access can significantly impair their ability to perform daily tasks, contribute to household income, and care for their families. Poor vision can also limit educational and employment opportunities for women, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and dependency. For the elderly, impaired vision diminishes the quality of life, increases the risk of accidents, and leads to greater dependency on others.

In August 2024, the Adani Foundation initiated its Vision Care Programme, targeting school-going children, women and elderly citizens living at the grassroots. It offers comprehensive eye care services, including screenings, distribution of free spectacles, and promoting referrals. Aligned with the government's National Program for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), the initiative aims at the early detection and prevention of vision-related problems. Since its inception, Vision Care has conducted more than 1,17,000 screenings across 11 states of India.

In Mirzapur, the program commenced in December 2024, covering a population of over 19, 500 people with screening, free spectacles (in required cases) and referrals. The outreach of Vision Care includes over 17,000 women belonging to various Self-Help Groups (SHGs) supported by the Adani Foundation, and more than 1, 800 school-going children. For students, the screenings were conducted across 19 government schools. For women and elderly citizens, they were conducted in common public places such as panchayat bhavan and community halls etc.

Banwari Lal, a 72-year-old resident of Tisahi village in Mirzapur, was elated after getting a new pair of spectacles. "With my new glasses, my vision has enhanced, and I enjoy reading my morning newspaper. Now, I am assured of safer days ahead. for myself," he remarked. 19-year-old student Anish Sharma, a resident of Sukhnai village, said, "I am very happy to receive a pair of spectacles from the Adani Foundation. My blurred vision is no longer a challenge for me, and I can concentrate better on my studies”.

Proper eye care is key to maintaining one’s health and overall well-being, directly affecting the quality of life. Access to regular eye examinations and treatment helps in timely detection and management of conditions such as Glaucoma, Cataract, and Macular Degeneration early on, thereby preventing vision loss. The Adani Foundation’s Vision Care programme is becoming crucial in bridging the gap between need and service provision. By addressing the vision-related challenges of community members, the Foundation is helping them unlock and realise their full potential.

About Adani Foundation

Since 1996, the Adani Foundation, social welfare and development arm of the Adani Group, has remained agile and deeply committed to making strategic social investments for sustainable outcomes across India. It is empowering and enriching the lives of children, women, youth, and marginalized communities in the core areas of education, health and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, climate action, and community development. The strategies of the Foundation are integrated in national priorities and global Sustainable Development Goals. The Adani Foundation is currently operating in 6,769 villages across 19 states, positively impacting 9.1 million lives.

For media queries, please contact Roy Paul: roy.paul@adani.com

For more information, visit www.adanifoundation.org