Organisation: Vision Friend Sakib Gore
Location: India

Tula taught me that a single specs can restore more than vision. It can restore dignity, hope, and the chance to dream again. His courage shaped my perspective and showed me how the smallest act in eye care can lead to the biggest change in someone’s life.

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.