Save the sight of children like Kisan and Shashant

12-year-old Kisan told us: “Before, when I played cricket, when they throw the ball towards me, I could not see it. The ball would pass near me but I could not see and my friends used to tease me for this.” And when asked about school, he answered: “I cannot read the whiteboard or blackboard. I cannot see objects at a far distance and I cannot read properly.”

If children like Kisan and Shashant can’t see very well, they are likely to end up dropping out or skipping school, which will greatly limit their future possibilities.

There are thousands of children like Kisan and Shashant who are struggling with low vision. However it costs just £5.50 to provide a child with a simple pair of glasses that will transform their life – helping them to continue going to school and break the cycle of poverty.

Fortunately, an Orbis-funded screening day took place at Kisan and Shashant’s school. They were diagnosed with myopia and prescribed glasses, and their lives have since improved dramatically.

When asked what difference they feel wearing glasses has made to them, both boys seemed visibly relieved. Kisan told us: “all the difficulties I had before like reading, playing with my mother, these are no longer difficulties. I can see anything, I can see things which are at a far distance,” while 10-year-old Shashant said, “I can also see objects clearly, and I can read properly with my glasses.”