Sightsavers India film highlights plight of India’s disabled community during Covid

Sightsavers India, a global development organisation working to eliminate avoidable blindness in India has released a film highlighting the plight of people with disabilities during the pandemic.

Eye health, social inclusion and inclusive education are the areas under focus in a new film released by Sightsavers India. The film, released on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, highlights the work done to reach disabled people in states where Sightsavers India is in operation since 1966.

“When the pandemic struck, life came to a halt for many persons with disability who had to suffer due to lack of jobs and were unable to support their families”, says RN Mohanty, CEO, Sightsavers India.

Sightsavers, along with partners, reached out to people with disabilities in their operational areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Interventions across 8 states

The aim is to promote a positive and enabling environment for persons with disability through livelihood interventions and facilitates the formation and capacity building of Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) to carry out effective advocacy for their rights on all platforms and levels. – H N Mohanty, CEO, Sightsavers India

The film highlights Sightsavers’ goal to ensure that people received their income, food supplies, medical help, continuing education and psycho-social support. This is to enable them to stay strong and continue fighting the pandemic.

The film also brings forth the intervention with respect to online education for visually impaired children in Bihar known as Sankalp. This is a model of tele-education adapted in 36 districts in the state which involves teaching children through mobile telephonic network using calls through resource personnel.

Additionally, the film highlights the plan of action for hospital partners and ensure safety in operations for the eye-health workers and patients. 



A global development organisation Sightsavers has been working n India since 1966 to eliminate avoidable blindness and to ensure that people who are irreversibly blind are supported adequately to lead lives of independence and dignity.