Partnerships that make a difference
We’re proud to share an inspiring update from our newest Direct Surgical Support (DSS) partner in India—Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra (NBJK).
NBJK, a registered nonprofit under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, is committed to empowering communities through education, healthcare, and inclusive development. Their mission is to promote social justice, economic opportunity, and self-reliance for all, ensuring that every individual has access to essential resources like food, shelter, education, and medical care without discrimination or exploitation.
Since its founding in 1971, NBJK has touched the lives of more than 10 million people across 6,000+ villages in 47 districts of Jharkhand and Bihar. Their reach includes four hospitals with 260 beds, 24 vision centers, and a wide range of community health initiatives. In 2023-2024 alone, NBJK hosted over 1,200 eye screening camps, served nearly 150,000 patients, performed 24,750 cataract surgeries (85% free of cost), and distributed more than 39,000 pairs of glasses.
Through our international education initiative, SEE is proud to support NBJK’s mission to expand access to quality eyecare in underserved regions of India. This two-year partnership will focus on accelerating eyecare in India through high-impact surgeries, capacity building, and targeted training of local healthcare professionals, nurses, and community health workers in the Jharkhand and Bihar states.
Throughout 2025, SEE aims to support NBJK in the following ways:
- Provide education and staff support/training for 16 ophthalmic assistants, 45 nurses, and 10 community health workers
- Provide Infrastructure support to establish a Wet Lab
- Provide transportation stipends for surgical patients
NBJK operates four eye hosptials across the Indian states of Jharkhand and Bihar, delivering essential vision care to underserved communities. With SEE’s support, these hospitals completed 2,407 cataract surgeries between January and March, restoring sight to 2,397 people.
These are more than just medical procedures. They are life-changing moments of renewal. Meet just a few of the resilient patients who have received care through this partnership:
Meet Lakshman
Lakshman Saw, a 71-year-old farmer from Chauparan village, had stopped working after losing his vision. For over a year, blurred vision kept him from tending the fields he’s worked his whole life. Like many in his village, Lakshman believed his condition couldn’t be helped.
But a local eye camp changed everything. He received free surgery, transportation, meals, and medication at the SEE-supported NBJK. Today, Lakshman is proudly farming once again on his own, with clear vision and renewed confidence.
Meet Anup
Meet Anup Verma, a 39-year-old father from Pipra village in Bihar. When his vision began to fade, fear took over. Without someone to accompany him to the hospital, he waited six long months without answers, unable to work or provide for his family.
He finally visited a village eye camp and was referred to a SEE-supported NBJK hospital in Gaya. After his cataract surgery, Anup got his sight and his livelihood back. He returned to work and reclaimed the future he thought he’d lost.
Meet Biya
Meet Biya Devi, a 76-year-old woman from Chauparan village in Jharkhand. Biya lives with her husband and sons, while her daughters are now married. Her husband, a farmer, supports the family on a limited income. For over a year, Biya gradually lost her vision. Unable to complete her daily tasks that were crucial to maintaining the household, she became increasingly dependent on her family. But her condition was dismissed as an inevitable part of aging.
But then, Biya attended a village eye camp and was diagnosed with a cataract in her right eye. She was referred to a SEE-supported NBJK hospital, where she received free surgery and care. As someone living below the poverty line, affording treatment would have been impossible otherwise. Today, she sees clearly and lives more independently with a newfound understanding of the importance of eye health.
These stories are powerful reminders: restoring sight transforms lives. With NBJK, we’re reaching those who might otherwise be left in the dark. Together, we’re not just changing vision—we’re changing futures, one patient at a time.
