SBI Foundation and CBM India Project Restores Sight to Thousands

The SBIF Eye Care project, a collaborative initiative between SBI Foundation and CBM India, has achieved a significant milestone in its mission to combat avoidable blindness among marginalized communities. The project has successfully supported 3,000 cataract surgeries, screened over 40,000 people for eye conditions, distributed 400 spectacles free of charge, and reached over 3 lakh people through community outreach and awareness initiatives across 12 blocks in the Howrah district of West Bengal.

Launched in March 2024, the program was designed to address a critical public health need in one of West Bengal’s most densely populated districts. Cataracts remain a leading cause of blindness worldwide, and in Howrah, limited access to eye health services, low awareness about symptoms and treatment, and insufficient follow-up care and rehabilitation have created an urgent need for intervention.

At its core, the SBIF Eye Care project focuses on delivering free cataract surgeries to people from low-income groups and marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities. To achieve this, multiple points of access to eye care were created, including door-to-door screenings, awareness drives, and CBM India’s network of inclusive vision centers for diagnosis and counselling. Patients identified through these channels were then referred to the empaneled hospital for surgery and follow-up care.

Speaking about the project impact, Mr. Sony Thomas, Executive Director, CBM India Trust, said, “Cataracts remain one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in India and the world, yet the surgery to treat this condition is straightforward and highly effective. For many people, however, factors such as geography, income, misconceptions about vision loss, or other considerations mean they never receive it. Through this partnership with SBI Foundation, we were able to change that in Howrah by identifying people who required cataract surgery and ensuring they underwent the procedure. The results of this project speak for themselves.”

The impact of the initiative is reflected in the experiences of its beneficiaries. Ms. Brinda, a 65-year-old homemaker, said: “The surgery gave me my old life back. I want to hold my grandson’s hand and walk him to school every day.” Mr. Ganesh, a 60-year-old farmer, shared: “I can see the world clearly now. I can work in my fields, read, and live without depending on others. I feel young again.” The family of Mr. Banshi, a 62-year-old farmer who underwent cataract surgery through the project, shared, “We are glad that he is more confident now, and does not feel low anymore. He has got his second sight and is very happy.”

The SBIF Eye Care project demonstrates how partnerships between civil society and the corporate sector can complement and strengthen government efforts to address preventable blindness. The model developed in the Howrah district—combining community-level outreach linked to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up—offers a replicable framework for supporting inclusive eye care delivery across India.

About CBM India

CBM India Trust is a leading not-for-profit development organization committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and other marginalized communities. They work alongside persons with disabilities, their representative organizations, community-based organizations, institutions, and the government to remove cultural and environmental barriers to persons with disabilities’ full participation in health, education, and livelihood opportunities. CBM India aspires to create an inclusive society in which persons with disabilities achieve their full potential. In 2024-25, they reached over 20.6 lakh people in 17 states and union territories across India. To learn more about CBM India, visit www.cbmindia.org

About SBI Foundation

SBI Foundation is the CSR arm of the State Bank Group. True to its tradition of “Service Beyond Banking,” the Foundation recognizes the importance of engaging with communities across key focus areas such as empowerment of persons with disabilities, rural development, healthcare, education, sustainability and environment, livelihood and skill development, youth empowerment, promotion of sports, and more. In this pursuit, the SBI Foundation works across all States and Union Territories of India, undertaking several initiatives to make resources available to the most vulnerable sections of society, directly and through strategic partnerships with impact-making entities in the social sector in the most transparent way to create inclusive, sustainable development. SBI Foundation believes in reflecting the ethos of the State Bank Group in running interventions that are ethical, promote growth and equality, and create a positive impact on society. To learn more about SBI Foundation, visit www.sbifoundation.in