Our Bureau
London
Global leaders, parliamentarians, healthcare pioneers, philanthropists, and civil society representatives convened today at the House of Lords, UK Parliament, to commemorate the International Day for a World Without Childhood Blindness (IDWWCB) and celebrate 49 years of service by the Eye Foundation of America (EFA)—a global organisation that has been restoring sight and safeguarding children’s futures since 1977.
The high-level commemoration marked January 31 as a defining global moment for sight, education, and equity, reinforcing the urgent call to eliminate preventable childhood blindness worldwide.
The event was chaired by Lord Rami Ranger, Member of the House of Lords, and brought together a distinguished gathering of global voices committed to advancing child eye health as a public health and development priority.
A Global Mission Born in 1977
The Eye Foundation of America was founded following the first eye camp organised by Dr. V. K. Raju in Vijayawada, India, in 1977—an act of service that sparked a movement now spanning India, Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Over the past 49 years, EFA has delivered scalable, high-impact programmes focused on prevention, early detection, treatment, and long-term systems strengthening, particularly for underserved and vulnerable children.
“Forty-nine years ago, this mission began with one simple belief—that no child should go blind because of poverty or lack of access,” said Dr. V. K. Raju, Founder and Visionary Leader of EFA.
“Today, that belief has become a global responsibility. Childhood blindness is preventable, and together, we have the power to end it.”
January 31: A Call to the World
The International Day for a World Without Childhood Blindness highlights the stark reality that over 90% of a child’s learning happens through vision, yet millions of children continue to face avoidable blindness—undermining education, economic mobility, and generational progress.
The day aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), positioning child eye health as a cross-cutting development imperative.
Leadership from the UK Parliament
Addressing the gathering, Lord Rami Ranger underscored the moral and policy significance of the mission:
“The House of Lords stands today not only for tradition and governance, but for conscience and global responsibility. A world without childhood blindness is not an aspiration—it is an achievable goal if governments, philanthropy, and civil society act together.”
Global Voices and Distinguished Participation
The commemoration featured addresses and participation from eminent leaders across sectors, including:
- Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Chief (China), who emphasised the interlinkage between child vision, education, and sustainable development.
- Padma Bhushan Dr. Vara Prasad Reddy, Chairman of Shanta Biotechnics, who highlighted the role of innovation, leadership, and ethical philanthropy in public health transformation.
- Dr. Sam Maddula, Board Member and Major Donor, Eye Foundation of America, who reaffirmed the importance of long-term, outcomes-driven investment in childhood blindness prevention.
- Senior parliamentarians, healthcare leaders, Rotarians, policy advocates, diplomats, and global media representatives.
Dr. Sam Maddula noted:
“Restoring sight is not charity—it is one of the most powerful investments we can make in a child’s future and in a nation’s human capital.”
From Charity to Systems Change
Speakers repeatedly emphasised that eliminating childhood blindness requires institutional partnerships, integration into public health systems, and corporate and philanthropic engagement at scale.
EFA’s model—combining clinical excellence, local capacity building, and global partnerships—was cited as a benchmark for sustainable, measurable impact.
Looking Ahead: The Next 50 Years
As EFA enters its 50th year of service, the organisation called upon:
- Governments to integrate child eye health into national health and education strategies
- Corporates to adopt sight restoration as a high-impact CSR priority
- International agencies to recognise childhood blindness as a development emergency
- Global citizens to champion sight as a fundamental right
“History will remember not how many conferences we held, but how many children we helped see,” said one speaker during the closing session.
About the Eye Foundation of America (EFA)
Founded in 1977, the Eye Foundation of America is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and treating childhood blindness. Registered and operational in the United States, United Kingdom, and India, EFA works across Asia and Africa through hospitals, screening programmes, training initiatives, and public health partnerships.
