“Eye donation is an act of great mercy and such acts must become the face of the Church in India”, said Dr Johnson Nedumpurath, National President of the Vincent De Paul Society, the largest Catholic Charity in the World.

Project Vision’s eye donation movement was launched in Tellichery Diocese, Kerala on the 21st July at St Mary’s Church, Thaliparambu, by Dr Johnson Nedumpuram by handing over the logo to Fr George Kannanthanam, Founder and Director of Project Vision.

Dr Johnson Nedumpuram, National President of Vincent De Paul Society handing over the eye donation logo to Mr Babu Kottarathil, President of SSVP, Tellicherry Diocese in the presence of Fr George Kannanthanam, Founder Director of Project Vision

Fr George Kannanthanam, Founder Director of Project Vision speaking at the launch of Project Vision in Tellicherry Diocese on the occasion of Ruby Jubilee of Vincent De Paul Society at Taliparambu, Kannur, Kerala

Mr Babu Kottaram, the Central Council President for Tellichery Diocese received the logo in the name of the Diocese and promised to make the eye donation program a great success while celebrating the 40th Anniversary year of Vincent De Paul society. He said that widespread awareness programs will be conducted across the Diocese this year with the support of Project Vision and thus make every member to pledge their eyes. The Diocese has 193 units.

“India has 15 million of the worlds 39 million blind population. 20% of them can receive sight through eye donation. But only less than 30,000 people only have donated their eyes in India last year”, said Fr George Kannanthanam who gave the keynote address. He said that the main role of the Vincent De Paul society members is to convince the family in the event of death and inform the eye bank. There is no cost involved.

Project Vision has been working for focussing the Christian community’s attention in India for eye donation. It believes that if the Christians in India would come forward to donate their eyes, we would be able to provide eyes for the whole country.

The missing link in the eye donation program in the country is the connectivity between the Eye Bank and the community. Though many are interested to donate eyes, there is no one to coordinate between the bereaved family and the eye bank. This role can be done best by the members of Vincent De Paul Society in the community - not only among the Christian community but in the larger society. Project Vision calls them as Vision Ambassadors.

Vincent De Paul Society has about 65,000 members across the country. If they could all be Vision Ambassadors, the problem of eye donation in India can be resolved. This is the plan of Project Vision .