Unique Stories

Mr. Nanabhai is 37 years old, married with two children. He lives about 15 kilometers away from the hospital and is a farmer with about five acres of land. On the day I visited his home, one could see how arid the land was with frequent dust clouds. I had to walk about one kilometer to his home from the main road.  His blindness was due to cataracts in both eyes; which affected his ability to farm and support his family. Two years ago, his eyes were operated on at  CBF supported Shree Jalaram Arogya Seva Trust Hospital (SJASTH) in Meghraj. His sight has been fully restored.

With his new sight he can again grow two crops per year which alternates between wheat in winter and maize in summer.  His diet consists of primarily of chapatti (bread) made of wheat or maize supplemented by a raw onion or green pepper. He cannot afford to buy vegetables. His yearly income was less than Rs. 3000 (approximately $50).  This comes from selling milk from one water buffalo and a goat that he owns.
Many hear about the recent prosperity in India. In 2007, there were 20 new billionaires in India, more than any other nation in Asia. There is a large new middle class. But the disparity between rich and poor continues to grow. About 80% of India’s population falls below poverty line (less than $2 of income per day). Mr. Nanabhai falls under that category. A common cause of cataract in this young age group is malnutrition, illiteracy and lack of access to medical care. Were it not for the efforts of CBF, he would have never been able to afford cataract surgery, nor improve his standard of living.