The Blind Foundation for India (BFI) has surpassed $5 million in donations since its founding 30 years ago. Alumnus Manu K. Vora, (M.S. CHE ’70, Ph.D. ’75) is the founder, director and president of the nonprofit, which is on a mission to prevent and cure blindness, and educate and rehabilitate permanently blind people in India.

The Blind Foundation for India (BFI) was established in 1989. There are over 15 million blind people in India, which translates to one out of every three blind people in the world.

Recently, the BFI team reached a major milestone of raising over $5 million U.S. dollars. These funds have been used to examine eyesight in more than one million adults. So far, BFI has conducted over 200,000 free cataract operations, donated 131 medical mobile vans to transport doctors and patients, and distributed over 10,000 Braille kits to blind children for their education. The major BFI focus is on prevention of blindness through Child Sight Projects. More than one million school children have been examined and given free glasses, eye drops, Vitamin A, and in some cases, cataract operations. With Rotary International Matching Grants, BFI has completed 14 projects worth $500,000.

For more information, visit http://www.blindfoundation.org/