Organisation: Vision Friend Sakib Gore
Location: India

In 2015, at a rural eye camp in the tribal village of Phangulgavhan. I met Tula, 19-year-old crawling on his hands beside his mother. Paralyzed due to polio, his poor vision had forced him to drop out of college, convinced his dream of a dignified life was over. When my father asked, he quietly said, I can’t see the blackboard. They call me blind, handicapped. His teacher, unaware of his condition, punished him for not paying attention. All Tula wanted was a Specs. We didn’t have his high prescription at the camp, but I promised to return. Three days later, I brought his glasses back myself. When I placed them on his eyes, his face lit up and so did his future. Today, he has a job, a wife, and three children. And every year, he still visits our camps with a warm smile and a cup of tea in gratitude. Tula didn’t just regain vision, he helped me understand the true impact of our work. His story sparked Young Eyes, our school-based vision program. This is more than a story. It’s a reminder that specs can change the course of a life.