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Sight and Knowledge

Empower India's Youth with Vision and Education through Ratna Nidhi

Join us in our mission to empower India's youth by supporting two life-changing projects:  
Ratna Nidhi's Vision Project and Mini-Library Initiative.
 
Vision Project:
 
Little Yasin, whose heart cradled a dream of becoming a pilot would’ve had to punctuate it to merely words had he not received the medical aid in time for his poor eyesight. Today, we as a country, whose children are so bright and sprightly, could hit the edge of a downward spiraling future, if we do not understand the current changes that are bringing in a force of new challenges for the children of India. We want the children of India to dream the biggest dream and we want to give them the best tools possible to accomplish those. But in the dynamic times that we live in, our young samaritans need us more than ever. And here’s why … 

During the 2020 pandemic, when the world almost came to a screeching halt, everything went through a major shift. Including the classrooms of the children. A massive number of children made a mass migration to online learning. And even prior to the pandemic, a lot of educational resources were being shared with the children through the digital medium of computers and other devices. 

This transition from the traditional methods of skimming through books to now hours of scrolling has created a direct impact on the vision of the children. Increased screen time, up close reading without protection, consuming online matter in the dark, and many more factors create a lot of undue stress on the eyes of the child. The study states that almost 15-20% of children who are part of schools are in dire need of vision correction. And this has become a growing concern in the current times. 

Good vision is directly proportional to seamless learning in the classroom. According to research deployed by JJ Hospital and the state’s Health Department, which covered 0.75 million students across public and private schools from south Mumbai to Sion, it was revealed that approximately 91000 kids suffer from Myopia. That means the future of nearly a lakh children is at stake. The survey carried out under the Union Government-sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan brought to light the fact that nearly 71000 students with eye defects were exposed to mobile phones. A gadget that has almost become inseparable from our lives, especially children, who are glued to it almost 24X7. And this number has starkly increased post-pandemic.

Imagine the awful struggle that these tender beings go through on a daily basis, where the words on the blackboard or the books appear blurred, leaving them clueless about the concepts and theory. This, in fact, is a huge challenge as nearly an average of, 23-30% of kids in India are affected with Myopia.

Hence the task force at Ratna Nidhi nose-dived into the process of devising a solution that could keep the children at bay from such a situation. So that they do not have to compromise on their educational potential due to financial inability and receive aid for vision correction sans any apprehension.

Setting up periodic vision camps to create a well-educated future force for India. 
 
The team at Ratna Nidhi believes in making every initiative a seamless affair for its own team as well as the recipient party. This is why our warriors create a system that is easy to adapt, execute and measure outcomes. Here’s a sneak peek into how we go about conducting our vision camps. 
 
PRE - CAMP 
● Reaching out to the schools to figure out the need for the vision camp. 
● Scheduling the meeting with the dean of the school. 
● Checking for facilities at school to facilitate the vision camp. 
● Ensuring the presence of volunteer teachers to execute the process in a smooth manner. 
● Creating a datasheet of the students to be screened. 
● Fixing a point of contact at the school. 
● Fixing the camp date. 
 
AT CAMP 
● Appointing a team of 2 professional & experienced optometrists to conduct the eye-checkup camp along with the Ratna Nidhi staff. 
● Setting up the machines at the vision campsite to conduct the screenings. 
 
POST CAMP 
● After the camp, a list is sent out via the school with all the details collated during the camp. 
● Once the data arrives, we begin manufacturing the spectacles at Ratna Nidhi. 
● As the batch gets prepared, the spectacles get labeled with the name of the school name, the name of the student, standard, vision no., and gender. 
● They are then delivered to the respective schools through our courier partners.
 
You can save a child from heading toward an empty future. You can truly be their ray of hope and guiding light. Let your kind donations erase the probability of darkness being their ally.

Achievements
Hand in hand we have walked to carve a new world for the children. Step by step, unmoved by the challenges, we created a milestone. 
Today, our efforts have painted a rewarding picture. Today, we feel we have championed as we have made more than just a donation. Today, we are certain that though the journey may be long, we are willing to cover every inch of that ground with our compassionate outreach to these children through our vision project. And it’s the kindness garnished with the empowerment of organizations like Essilor Luxottica Foundation, that births a meaningful collaboration through which we have been able to touch several lives. 
 
● No. of camps 123 
● No. of schools 96 
● No. of students screened 44996 
● Total no. of specs prescribed 5486 
 
More than forty-four thousand nine hundred students can now continue their academic journey with a corrected vision. And children with poor vision can soak in the bliss of high-grade Essilor Luxottica spectacles free of cost. 
How does a mere spectacle donation impact many lives at once you wonder? Here’s your answer: 
 
Students 
● Behavioral change. 
● Amped up confidence. 
● Increased participation in classroom activities. 
● Better self-esteem. 
● Engagement with peers. 
● Willingness to take on challenges. 
● Improved learning curve. 
● Access to more learning and professional opportunities through improved vision. 
● Creates a classroom of motivated individuals who feel seen and heard. 
● Fosters a positive attitude among children. 
● Brings about a considerable difference in their academic performance. 
● Development of a healthy mindset towards classroom interactions and external interactions. 
● Active participation in sports, art, and other extracurricular subjects. 
 
Parents, Teachers, and Society at large. 
● Reducing the gap between urban students and rural students. 
● Creating awareness among parents and teachers for regular eye checkups for students. 
● Imparting the importance of a good vision for enhanced academic growth. 
● Cultivating the roots of social development. 
● Promotion of equity and social justice. 
● Ensuring the economic background doesn’t qualify as a base factor for academic potential. 
● Sends a message of hope and care among the children who finally feel like a visible part of society. 
 
Imagine yourself in the shoes of a child who is barely able to read, write, or perform. Whose friendships and learning are hindered because of poor vision. Whose life ahead feels like a big blurry question mark that time drew but awaits a kind hand that can wipe it away. Be that helping hand. Be that heart of hope.
 
Tagore once said - You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Similarly, being aware of the fact that the children of this country need us, is not suffice. Securing their future through our kind actions and ensuring that their academic potential is met, is what will lead us to cross this sea of challenges. India’s young voice is calling you and it's not the time to let their pleas fall on deaf ears.
 
Every educated mind is a treasure trove of knowledge and creativity. Every mind is a dormant pathway to the wealth of wisdom unless activated by education.
 
India, being the land of hope, still has an enormous number of people who walk a thin rope to meet their daily needs. Several pockets of this country are filled with parents who do not understand the challenges of their children and thrive in remote spaces that lack access to basic medical facilities. And many children grapple with the obstacle of not receiving timely aid when it comes to vision correction.
 
It's time we align our actions to their needs. So that children hailing from impoverished backgrounds receive high-quality glasses without worrying about payouts. So that children can return to their true world of childhood with books in their hands and work their way up to bring glory to their motherland. Come, gift a child a vision. Let their eyes light up with your kindness.

Sight & Knowledge

Mini Library:

What you are seeking, is seeking you. - Rumi.
 
They say, necessity is the mother of invention. But what would you label a moment that carves itself through the medium of necessity on an inconspicuous pathway of the greater good? Innovation. A core thought centricity at Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust, where the volume of work we do for people across the country and globally never emerges out of thin air. For us our goal, soul, passion and every persevering effort is to deliver a better life to people by deploying our resources and backing them with technology and innovation.
 
And this is exactly what happened when we were looking for a television trolley to station the TV but couldn’t find one. So we decided to step out and scan the furniture market, landing our eyes on a compact trolley that ignited an innovative thought to take our mission of making books accessible for reading for everyone forward. 
 
An on-demand mini library.
 
Trolleys stacked with preferred books of choice so that one doesn’t have to rent a space for people to screen through these gems. The creativity of convenience met with the compassion of purpose. And the bigger goal of all - Books.  
 
How it began + Books Vs digital
 
Bringing books back in fashion. Bringing reading back in fashion. Bringing thoughtful ideas back in fashion. Championing modern thinking with good old learning, Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust.
 
Come to think of it, in this age of fast information consumption, digitization, reading data being available at click, the art and patience of reading is truly lost. Children immersed in story books, colouring their imagination with their favourite characters or creating the next rocket has been missing from the canvas of the country. Young adults being consumed by screen instead of healthy debates at the book clubs.
 
The grown ups feeding themselves with bite-sized information versus soaking in the joy of reading page after page and cultivating the same in their children. It’s truly a hazy and laid-back time we live in. Where the attention spans are down to 30 second content matter and a 300 page book is summarized in a 30 minute podcast. How do we build it all again, how do we bring the world closer to books again? The feasibility of establishing multiple libraries seemed bleak.
 
But soon enough, a sturdy trolley stood before us holding the answer on its racks and wheels. A movable library that can be created and prepared on-demand. A genius emergence of thought backed by the truthfulness of a vision, to make the joy of reading accessible for everyone. And that’s all it took to have Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust’s engines charged, working to adorn the new face of Swiggy of Education.
 
  
 
Mini library
Charging ahead as agents of change - Ratna Nidhi.
 
The single seed of an ingenious idea germinated into a full-fledged model. A process that followed a simple flow of:
● Place an order.
● Two weeks to plan, assimilate and deliver your mini library.  
 
Making learning and reading convenient through the model of mini libraries. 
Ratna Nidhi’s libraries became a part of:
● BMC
● Private and semi-aided schools and colleges  
● Hospitals 
● Medical colleges 
 
● Nursing homesLike a beacon of hope, shining the light of words upon many seeking souls. So far, through these ingenious efforts, Ratna Nidhi’s mini libraries have reached nearly 80 locations within and outside Mumbai. The 200+ libraries which have been donated with almost 40000 books have brought smiles and learning into the lives of over 100000 readers. 
 
Where all
Little wheels of the big picture of education. Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust’s mini library made its way around the city and other places. Spreading joy. Spreading wisdom. Making reading a right and not a privilege.
● Ambernath ● Andheri ● Bandra ● Bhandup ● Borivali ● Byculla ● Charkop ● Cheeta Camp ● Chembur ● CST ● Dadar ● Dharavi ● Diva
● Dombivali ● Fort ● Ghatkopar ● Girgaon ● Govandi ● Grant Road ● Jogeshwari ● Juhu ● Kalyan ● Kamathipura ● Kandivali ● Kanjurmarg● Khar ● Kurla ● Mahakali Caves ● Mahalaxmi ● Mahim ● Malad ● Malwani ● Mankhurd ● Manor ● Matunga ● Mira Road ● Mulund ● Mumbai Central
● Nagpada ● New Panvel ● Panvel ● Parel ● Powai ● Vikhroli ● Wadala ● Sanpada ● Santacruz ● Sion ● Thakurdwar ● Thane● Trombay ● Turbe
● Versova● Vidyavihar ● Akola ● Alibaug ● Karad ● Karjat ● Khardi ● Madanpura ● Makunsar ● Matheran ● Palghar● Patpanhale ● Raigad
● Ratnagiri ● Shahad ● Shahapur ● Titwala ● Valsad ● Vavoshi

Hospital Wards & Covid
A ray of optimism that nursed the frontline warriors at the hospitals to the pink of their health - Ratna Nidhi’s mini libraries. 
 
Back when Covid gripped the country and there was a spell of disturbing feelings, hospitals were the only place that saw faces day in and day out. From trying to save a life to keeping the ones around them safe, the frontline warriors of staff, nurses, doctors, technicians bore a heavy burnout and breakdowns. There was no respite.
 
The mini libraries provided by Ratna Nidhi became their sounding board. Skimming through books on self help, mental wellness, spirituality, positivity, fitness, health and more lighter reads gave them a break from the draining cases and uncertainty.
 
The long work hours felt easier with a book to lean on. When nothing comforted them, books came to their rescue and for a brief bit transported them to a world that was better. Thus, keeping them balanced and focused at work.
 
Gradually the temptation to read grew. A ripple effect was created. Many hospitals began to place mini libraries so that not just the staff but the people queued up in waiting areas could also find solace in the vast ocean of words.
 
And that’s how the mini libraries transformed into the new temples at hospitals, where silent prayers floated as pages were turned and peace and learning found a fitting seat next to each other.
 
At Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust, books are a roadmap that everyone deserves. To follow, to arrive, to be, to grow.
 
With the success of Ratna Nidhi’s endeavour to reach places and reach readers, it only humbly reminds us that the walk is always a long one. And the ones in it are the true sculptors of India, who don’t only lend a promise of hope and better tomorrow but thread the needle to weave a better, braver, brighter and a story of an unbending nation. What our tiny chariots of books can encompass is far beyond our comprehension. Ratna Nidhi’s mini libraries will continue to immerse readers across the country and yield new ones. 
 
Like Swami Vivekananda once said, “Arise, awake, stop not until your goal is achieved.”

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Testimonials

  • “I never even knew I had weak eyes. Having spectacles has ensured that now I can see everything clearly”

    Prachi Pukale, female - 9th D, 14 years, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil School

  • “Thank You Ratna Nidhi for Providing these spectacles”

    Trupti Vijendra Vasane - 7th A, 13 yrs, Jawahar Vidyabhawan, Chembur

  • “I can now study, and play well too. I never realised I had vision problem till I got the spectacles. Thank you Ratna Nidhi”

    Piyush Sandeep - 9th A, 15 years, Jawahar Vidyabhawan

  • “I thought everyone sees the way I see. But this is not correct. I never thought I had vision issue. Now I can see the blackboard clearly”

    Atiya Salmani rahman abdul - 6th A, Mapkhan Urdu high school, Andheri

  • “Thank you for spectacles. My parents would not have been able to buy this on their own. This is a big help”

    Mohammed Fazal Mohammed - 5thA, 10 years, Mapkhan Urdu School

  • “On behalf of Chandaramji high school (Gujarati medium), we express our gratitude. These books will be very useful as reference books. Some of these books will be referred by teachers to teach as well.”

    Chandramji school, Gujarati medium

  • “Everyday 70-100 students borrow books and read in the college. About 30-40 of them issues books and take them home to read.” We have labelled each book, and maintain daily entries of books issued, and returned.”

    MP Shah Women’s College of Arts & Commerce

  • “We are extremely thankful for your support which will help to develop reading habit in our students. Once students get reading habit, it enhances their knowledge and provides them with opportunity to learn.”

    Shreevallabh Ashram English Medium School

  • “We are overwhelmed to receive mini library books. We assure that our students will genuinely benefit from these books”

    Holy Prophet English School
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