LONDON: On the day that Dr. SandukRuit receiving the Isa Award services to humanity by the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundationone of dr Ruit co-founded NGO based in London and Kathmandu also celebrates reaching the milestone of curing 30,000 people with untreated cataract blindness in impoverished and marginalized communities in Nepal, Bhutan and Ghana.
The NGO pursues the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending extreme poverty by conducting large-scale, grassroots surgeries that allow recovered patients and their families to return to education, social and economic activities. 90% of the world’s blind live in low-income communities in the developing world.
The 30,000th patient was 60-year-old Belmati, who was cured in Bahjang District, a remote and underserved region of Nepal where the population lacks access to basic health care and education. Belmati was carried on her back by her husband for over two hours to reach a microsurgical relief camp, where she joined 252 patients who had undergone surgery to cure their cataract blindness. All 252 were able to see again the next day.
During their stay in Bahjang district, teams from Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation were also able to revisit sisters Kunti (7) and Reshma (13). Cured of blindness by NGO December 20021. Both young girls had returned to school after dropping out earlier. Her mother, who had previously cared for her blind daughters full-time, was able to return to work and earn a living to feed and keep her family warm.
To mark the milestone of 30,000 people healed, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has released a new mini-documentary created by a Nepalese media personality and influencer Sahana Bajcharyacan be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kl7jE8UHDE
Founded by an outstanding ophthalmologist dr SandukRuit and philanthropist Tej KohliSince March 2021, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has been working diligently to heal untreated cataract blindness. Supported by partners like the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology the Himalayan Cataract Projectand the Fred Hollows Foundationthe NGO is currently expanding to Asia and Africa.
Tej KohliCo-founder of the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation, said:
“Direct and large-scale interventions to cure untreated blindness are the fastest route to ending extreme poverty, with some studies suggesting a socioeconomic return of 1,500% on surgical costs in the first postoperative year. This problem is huge. I hope that the example of our NGO and delivery partners will lead to others with even greater resources joining in our mission to heal up to 500,000 people by 2030.”
For more information about the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation, visit:
Website: www.tejkohliruit.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejkohliruit/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tej-kohli-ruit-foundation/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tejkohliruitfoundation
Medium: https://tejkohliruitfoundation.medium.com/
tick tock: https://www.tiktok.com/@tkrfoundation
The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation is a restricted fund operated under the auspices of Prism The Gift Fund, UK registered charity number 1099682.
