Bhutan — The Kingdom of Sustainability
After the success of the last year, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is beginning to move into new regions. In just one year, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation operated on and cured over 17,000 people in Nepal. Continuing the journey, the next plans are to move into neighbouring country, Bhutan.
Bhutan is located on the eastern edge of the Himalayas. The nation has a population over just over 800,000 people. Boasting a picturesque, natural landscape, Bhutan is home to a large collection if fortresses, temples and incredible views of the Himalayan mountain range.
Bhutan is the only country in the world that is carbon negative. This is due to the vast nature absorbing more C02 emissions than the country produces. Preservation of the land and environment has ensured that the nation beautiful scenery remains in tact.
Whilst the country is a haven, tourism is limited. It can cost tourists up to $250 a day to visit the picturesque nation. The nation encourages this type of tourism in order to protect it’s traditions and environment. Bhutan is also the only country to measure national happiness or GNH (Gross National Happiness) rather than focus on GDP.
Going into Bhutan to treat those in need is important due to cataract blindness being the most prevalent cause of blindness. 53.8% of blind people have complete vision loss due to cataracts which are easily curable using, co-founder of the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, Dr Ruit’s methods. Dr Ruit innovated cataract surgery and has created a method that can cure patients with a seven minute surgery that costs $50. All surgeries occurring in Nepal as well as the upcoming ones in Bhutan are free.
Nearly half of Bhutan’s population works in agriculture. However, when an individual becomes blind, they are no longer able to work. Interventing and supporting the cure of blindness will support those who are unable to work. This will also create a legacy eye health care. The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation also places great emphasis on the cure of women and children and supporting the development of education and social infrastructure.
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation team, so far, has cured a total of 246 patients in Bhutan. This leads to the goal of the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is to cure the remainder of Bhutan’s blind over the next five years. This will entail performing an estimated 5000 surgeries across several microsurgical camps.
The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation was founded in March 2021 by London philanthropist Tej Kolhi and Kathmandu ‘God of Sight’ Dr Sanduk Ruit. As of November 2022 the NGO had screened 170,022 patients and cured 22,663of blindness at 91 outreach camps in Nepal, Bhutan and Ghana. The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation is a restricted fund operating under the auspices of Prism The Gift Fund, registered UK charity number 1099682. The Foundation targets the #1 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of reducing poverty by making large-scale surgical interventions to cure blindness at the grassroots in the developing world. All treatments are provided completely free, with 100% of the funding coming from Tej Kohli and the Kohli family.
