What Does $400 Mean To You?
In December 2021, our teams visited Chainpur in Bajhang Nepal. It was here we met Parsa, a mother of 2. Both of her daughters, Kunti (7) and Reshma (13) were living with cataract blindness.
Both sisters blindness was preventing them from succeeding in school and placed a heavy burden upon their single mother. 5 years before meeting Parsa, she lost her husband to an unknown illness. He had been working in India and was not able to see him again. Parsa was now left alone, looking after her 4 young children — two of which were blind.
After hearing about a Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation screening camp, Parsa took her two girls to have their eyes checked. It was then confirmed that Kunti and Reshma were suffering from cataracts. However, after receiving the diagnosis, she was informed that she must travel to Dhangadi which was a 12 hour drive away.
Suddenly, she began to worry. With only NRS 100 to her name, she informed teams that she only had enough money to take her and her children home. Seeing this, our teams instructed Parsa to return the next day and they would transport her and her daughters to receive surgery.
That morning, Parsa, Kunti and Reshma met again with our teams. Throughout the journey Parsa told her story of hardship, poverty and discrimination due to her bad luck in life. She explained how fellow members of her community had labelled her cursed due to her husbands death, her destroyed crops and now, the whitening of her daughters eyes.
Teams travelled with Parsa on the 24th of December for her children to be cured on Christmas Day 2021. Both children were successfully cured and happily returned home.
One Year Later…
Just over a year later in January 2023, Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation teams returned to Chainpur to stage another microsurgical camp.
Parsa and her daughters returned to the camp for a follow up check. When seeing Parsa again, she informed us that her family life had improved significantly. Both Kunti and Reshma, who were previously on the brink of leaving school were now attending classes and acheiving tremendously.
Worrying no more, a big weight had been lifted from Parsa’s shoulders. She is now able to focus on improving her economic situation and is able to sustain her family without the concern of worrying about where the next meal is coming from.
During this camp, our teams were joined by Sahana Bajracharya, a Nepalese TV Personality and storyteller. Sahana, who has recently become a member of the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation influencer panel is helping the foundation raise awareness on the problem of needless blindness in the developing world.
According to a study published by The Lancet, investment in the cure of cataract blindness can allow people to increase their economic productivity by up to 1500% of the cost of surgery during the first postoperative year. Whilst Parsa did not share the income she makes, she says she is in a much better situation compared to the previous year.
For more information on Tej Kohli as a philanthropist visit tejkohliruit.com and to read more of his views go to his Medium.
To read about Tej Kohli as an investor visit Kohli Ventures.
Find out more about Tej Kohli: Tej Kohli the technologist investing in human triumph, Tej Kohli the philanthropist trying to cure the developing world of cataracts and Tej Kohli the London tycoon with a generous streak.
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