To commemorate International Women’s Day, India Vision Institute (IVI) is taking vision screenings to some 1,100 underprivileged women in communities across Chennai.
Today’s screenings are being held at KK Nagar, Saidapet, Sholavaram, Integrated Child Development Centre, Kilpauk, and the Urban Primary Health Centre at Chetpet.
At the screening program at KK Nagar, Australia’s Consul General, Sarah Kirlew, Sri Karunanidhi, MLA and IVI CEO Vinod Daniel were present. Mr John Niven, Tamil Nadu Government Coordinator, Non-Resident Indian Tamil Association (Australia), and community leaders K Ezhumalai and KO. SU. Mani also attended the event.
“I am delighted to be here at IVI’s vision screening for women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Having good sight is crucial to the ability of women and girls to access education and employment. It is good to see IVI’s screenings making an impact among women and girl children,” Ms Kirlew said.
Mr Daniel said “we join the world and India in celebrating gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
“Since our inception in 2012, IVI’s vision screenings for underprivileged women and school girls in communities have covered over 150,000 individuals,” said Mr Daniel.
“Today, we rededicate ourselves to helping women and girl children, making women fully empowered through access to vision screenings, become financially independent with improved vision, and removal of social taboos against them wearing glasses,” he added.
About India Vision Institute
IVI is an Indian not-for-profit NGO with the vision to provide access to primary eye care for the underprivileged and a pair of corrective glasses to every Indian in need of one. Our outreach and advocacy activities include awareness generation, engaging communities, schools, partner institutions and others through talks, education, skill enhancement, and leadership development. Since we began activities in 2012, IVI has helped change lives in some 22 states of India. Two flagship programs that help deliver services are Eye See and I Learn and Eye See and I Work. Vision correction and glasses help school children do well in studies and to aspire for a better future. Better sight in adults assists them in being more productive, ensuring a safe and secure livelihood. Vision and Road Safety is another priority for IVI and involves working with corporates/organizations on screenings and provision of free spectacles for commercial vehicle drivers. Our current ongoing initiatives is benefiting around 90,000 drivers of trucks, buses and autos in the coming months.
