NEPAL
Nepal, a beautiful nation in South Asia, is home to approximately 29.1 million people. As of 2022, approximately 4% of the population experiences visual impairments. Many districts in Nepal are within mountainous terrains, which creates travel and access to healthcare challenges for communities across the nation.
Nepal has a long-standing cultural and spiritual significance for Buddhists and Hindus throughout the world. Furthermore, due to its rich religious traditions and historical significance, it has become a popular destination for tourists and spiritual seekers alike.
Nepal’s unique culture and heritage have been preserved while also bolstering opportunities for economic growth.
BLINDNESS IN NEPAL
- 0.32% of the population suffer with some form of blindness
- 1,230,162 people have moderate to severe visual impairments
- There are only 8.4 ophthalmologists per 1 million people
- Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness Nepal
THE TEJ KOHLI & RUIT FOUNDATION IN NEPAL
The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation began its journey in Nepal in March 2021, with a goal of screening and curing people of needless cataract blindness. The birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini served as the location for our initial screening and curing camp, where we successfully screened 947 people and cured 312 people of cataract blindness.
Since then, we have made significant progress and have successfully cured 34,197 people in Nepal alone. Our work in the country has become a blueprint for all our future missions. We have collaborated with our co-founder Dr Ruit and teams from various partner hospitals in the country to create a lasting legacy of social and economic change.
Our efforts and dedication continue to make a significant impact on the lives of those in need, and we look forward to continuing our mission to eradicate cataract blindness globally.