By Tanveer Sohal, MPH
At first, when one enters a room, it is dark. In order to see nature’s beauty, one must turn on the lights. The eyes are irreplaceable and damage to them is permanent. Creating an organization whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate is a remarkable feat that very few people are able achieve. In 1989, Mr. Anup Jubbal set upon one such path of discovery, seeking to provide eye care for those unable to afford it. The result of his journey is Canadian Eyesight Global, an organization which has helped thousands of people in villages throughout India for a quarter of a century. The opportunities Canadian Eyesight Global provides for impoverished citizens in India are life-altering; the power of sight is the most desired aspect of the human experience, and without eyesight, it is impossible to give light to the world. This philosophy became the driving force behind Canadian Eyesight Global – the epitome of a new outlook.
Mr. Jubbal, who grew up in Lucknow, India, witnessed the rampant poverty there from a young age. Since then, he has sought to help countless individuals, including children, who are unable to afford primary eye care. He first approached his local Rotary Club at Burnaby-Hastings with the idea of Project Eyesight India in 1989. They quickly offered their support, and six Rotarians even joined Mr. Jubbal on a visit to India to experience the initiative first hand. Many of the members were in for a dose of culture shock, traveling from a veritable paradise to rural India. Their efforts were noted by people in high places, and while working in New Delhi, their operations were visited by the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada Gary Smith
and Paul Durrant, First Commercial Secretary of CIDA.
In 1992, four new clubs were developed in Akhnoor, Udhampur, Sultanpur Ludhi, and Jalandhar South, in which the majority of members were women. During the development of these new clubs Rotary Burnaby-Hastings, with the support of Rotary International and CRCID/CIDA, generously donated $90,000 for fifteen thousand operations. To increase awareness of the project, a fundraising dinner was held at Bear Creek Community Centre on November 28, 1992.
By 1993, Mr. Jubbal had gathered a great deal of support, and was recognized by Rotary International with the Service Aboveself Award, the highest award provided to a Rotarian by the International Service Organization in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Mr. Jubbal was British Columbia’s first Rotarian recipient of this award. In 1993 there were thousands of operations performed in India sponsored by the Rotary Club of Burnaby-Hastings and R.I. District 5040.
In 1994, Mr. Jubbal traveled to India to ensure that Project Eyesight India was running smoothly. In 1995, a team consisting of Dr. & Mrs. Irwin Stewart, Past Rotary District Governor(93-94) R.I.Dist.5040 and Dr. Lionel Fishman, Past President, Rotary Club of Burnaby-Hastings, journeyed India to visit the eye camps for themselves. A major supporter of this project was Rotary District 5040, who provided $7.50 for each $20.00 cataract surgery conducted in remote areas in India. Rtn. Wilfrid Wilkinson, the Past Chairman of CRCID/CIDA and Past President of Rotary International, visited the eye camp at Neral Village near Bombay in February 1996 and was impressed by what he saw.
The year 1996 proved pivotal in the continuous success of Project Eyesight India. Rotarians across Canada and India gathered behind the programme and ensured that 31,500 cataract surgeries were administered. There were over six thousand operations conducted in 1996 alone. In addition to providing treatment for patients, twelve thousand preventative consultations were provided to nip any imminent problems in the bud.
This success and initiative did not go unnoticed. Both the Government of Canada and Rotary International recognized the importance of Project Eyesight India and its contribution to society. On September 12, 1997, the Governor General of Canada, Rt. Hon. Romeo LeBlanc, awarded Mr. Jubbal the Queen’s Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in Quebec City. A year later, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce in Toronto conferred a Hall of Fame 1998 Humanitarian Award to Mr. Jubbal, sponsored by Royal Bank Financial Group, and presented by the Honourable Paul Martin.
What’s next? Canadian Eyesight Global would like to build a Primary Care Eye Hospital facility near Amritsar, India. If you are an Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and would like to help please call us. If you have land or a building near Amritsar for the establishment of the hospital or would like to sponsor an eye camp or to make a small donation please contact Mr. Anup S. Jubbal, Canadian Eyesight Global, Ph.(604) 582-0579 [email protected]
