Help, Rural Poor in India get Eye Surgery

FriendsForCauseFoundation Update - Dated 27th Oct 2023

Hello Folks !

I'm preparing to return to India once again to provide much-needed eye surgeries to underprivileged individuals. Our commitment to the 2021 campaign, which began with the successful collection of funds through GoFundMe, continues to impact lives positively.

Last year (2022-23) marked a significant milestone for us, as we successfully completed 2,100 surgeries, bringing our total to over 7,000 surgeries over the span of 12 years.

This year's goal is even more ambitious, with a target of 3,100 surgeries. As of today, we have already completed over 308 surgeries.

The journey ahead will cover over 7,000 kilometers, taking me from Moga, Punjab, to Kashi in Uttar Pradesh, and for the first time, we plan to hold a camp in Ayodhya.

We continue to rely on our trusty XYLO van to travel to distant and remote areas. You can see our van on my Facebook account, "Yogesh Bhatia." You can also search "Yogesh Vancouver" to stay updated on our progress as it happens.

This year, we are updating our data as surgeries are conducted. If you'd like to stay informed, please send me a message with your email on WhatsApp at the brochure which you can down load and the link is at bottom.

Let's see how funds are collected this year. The $3,900 is for mentioned is for the year 2021-22., We recived a small amout over gofundme during last year. This year we expect to recive a considerable amout if each one of you help us out.

We hope to witness the same amazing divine interventions that have been a part of our project previously.

A group in Austin, led by Mr. Namish and Prashant Jain, is providing significant assistance, and they have contributed to the eye surgeries. Many of you have also been sending direct funds to hospitals, which is equally commendable.

Please share your stories and follow me on Facebook to learn more facts.

I want to express my gratitude to each one of you and kindly request that if you want a receipt for the donation you gave through GoFundMe, please send me an email at [email redacted]. To receive the receipt, please share your full name.

Best regards,

Yogesh Bhatia

Oct 27th 2023 Friday. More updates to come on facebook.

Gift Of Sight, what is it !

The "Gift of Sight" initiative is a compassionate endeavor aimed at restoring the precious gift of vision to those in need. Through this program, we strive to provide essential eye surgeries and care to underprivileged individuals, particularly in marginalized communities. Our mission is to bring light and hope to those who are affected by vision impairments, enabling them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Over the last 12 years we have funded over 7,300 eyesight surgeries from Moga, Punjab, to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This year, our mission is even more ambitious, as we aim to support a total of 3,100 surgeries. I'm pleased to share that we've already completed 300 of these surgeries, bringing the light of vision to those in need.

The "Gift of Sight" initiative has found support and collaboration from esteemed healthcare institutions, such as Dr. Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, which have generously conducted surgeries on our behalf. Here, we seek the invaluable assistance of dedicated medical professionals like yourself. Surgeons with your unwavering commitment are the true backbone of our mission to assist marginalized individuals. Our work is a labor of love, undertaken as a heartfelt prayer to a higher power.

In addition to our ongoing efforts, we also have plans to establish our own dedicated charity hospital in the future. This vision reflects our commitment to further expanding our mission and reaching even more individuals in need of vital eye surgeries and care.

All updates to come very soon. 27th Oct 2023. To download FFCF brochure for the year 2023 click here

Previous years.............................................................

Update 1:

Follow the journey on Facebook with the hashtag #giftofsightjourneybegins2021 to see how we are progressing toward our goal.

You can also follow me on Facebook, where we share updates on how resources are collected, funds are managed, and the planning is executed on the ground to provide cataract surgery to 1,500 people.

Regular updates on Facebook and GoFundMe will help you stay informed about the work we are doing as a team.

Here is a brief introduction about the project, Gift Of Sight:

Hello Friends,

I am Yogesh Bhatia, the Director of Friends for Cause Foundation, and I want to share the true story of the Gift of Sight Projects.

I initiated this work in 2011, on the day of my younger brother's funeral. He was only 37 years old when he lost his life in a helicopter crash as an operational casualty of the Indian Army. I started this work to find some inner peace, and 2011 marked the beginning of these projects. Surprisingly, I've continued this initiative over the years while working in Canada as an immigrant since 2010.

Every year, I spend 2 to 3 months in India, reaching out to people to help them under the Gift Of Sight. Traveling from Vancouver, Canada, to India and working for rural poor, street people, and urban slums' elderly is a profound blessing. I am humbled to fund their cataract eye surgeries and encourage them to reintegrate into the active workforce.

From November to January, you can find me traveling from the north in Punjab to the east in Uttar Pradesh, India. Sometimes I am in Sunam, Punjab, and after a week, I can be found in Vrindavan, UP, and then in Aligarh. During my stay in India, I am always on the move, searching for these elderly individuals, who are my target population.

There are thousands of photos and several YouTube videos that showcase the work I do. You can view some of these photos here. We also have an interesting YouTube documentary that may help you better understand our work.

To make these projects more professional, transparent, accountable, and open, I established the not-for-profit organization mentioned above in Vancouver in 2015.

Every year, I generate funds from my personal resources and donations from my immediate and extended family members, as well as close friends. The charity dinner held on October 1, 2021, was one such event to support the cause of Giving Back to Our Roots.

My trusted friends provide real motivation, helping me plan various aspects of this project. For example, we have special support from ICA Vancouver (the group has been supporting us since 2016) and V4U Entertainment.

This year, the charity dinner on October 1, 2021, received support from two other Indian-specific groups

-Please share your full name to get the receipt.

Best regards

Yogesh Bhatia

Nov 5, 2021, Friday;

Update 1 : a. #giftofsightjourneybegins2021. 

b. Pls follow Yogesh Bhatia on facebook to see, how this Journey is moving towards its goal.

c. How resources are collected.

d. How funds are managed and planning is executed on ground to provide Cataract Surgery to 1500 people. 

A regular update on Facebook and on GoFundMe will help you to follow the work we are doing as a team. 

---------Here is a brief introduction and about the project, Gift Of Sight. 

Hello Friends, I am Yogesh Bhatia, the Director of Friends for Cause Foundation, and this is the true story of the Gift of Sight Projects.

I started this work In 2011, on the day of my younger brother's Funeral. He was just 37 years old when he lost his Life in a Helicopter crash as an operational casualty of the Indian Army. Here are the 2011 links about the news of his death. 

Link 1 Tribune News 

Link 2 Database Accidents 

I started this work to achieve some small measure of inner peace and 2011 was the first year of these projects. Somehow I have continued this initiative over the years while working in Canada as an immigrant since 2010.

Every Year, I am in India for 2 to 3 months reaching out to people to help them under Gift Of Sight. Traveling from Vancouver, Canada to India and working for rural poor, street people, and urban slums' old aged people is a huge divine blessing. I am humbled to help them by funding their Cataract Eye Surgery and then encouraging them to come into the active workforce.

During the month of Nov-Jan, one can find me traveling from North in Punjab to East of UP, in India. Sometimes I am in Sunam, Punjab and after a week I can be found in Vrindavan, UP, and then in Aligarh. During my stay in India, I am traveling all the time and finding these old people, which is my targetted population.

There are 1000s of photos ( Pls click here to see some of those photos  ) & several youtube videos, which showcase the work I do.

Here is one such interesting Youtube documentary and this might help one to understand.

Pls click here to see The Vision of Gift Of Sight . 

To make these projects professionally successful, more transparent, accountable, and open, I established the above-named Not-for-Proft in Vancouver in the year 2015.

Every year, I am able to generate funds from my personal resources, and also donated by my immediate family members, extended family, and close friends. The 1st Cot 2021, charity dinner is one such event to support the cause of Giving Back to Our Roots. 

My trusted friends are the real source of motivation who help me plan various aspects of this project. For example, we have special support from ICA Vancouver (the group has been supporting us since the year 2016), and V4U Entertainment.

This year, the 1st Oct 2021 charity dinner is supported by two other Indian-specific groups. 

 When I look back, one thing comes to my mind that is “ it’s not me”, but people like You, my friends, and many unknown faces both from Indian and other communities in VANCOUVER & HOUSTON. 

How this work has grown over the years is a mystery to me, because I am a very small person and had never been a known personality or a businessman in our Indian community. Still, unknown people trust me and come to my house and donate anonymously.

To give an example of how these projects have become enormous, in 2011 we funded 25 surgeries, and during the year 2020-21 project we funded 1003 surgeries. This is a massive number for the amount of preparation it goes to organize it.

And I leave you to Guess the target for this year,

YOU will be that person, who will pray and support the target which comes into your heart.

Let us all join together once more, 1st Oct 2021, and we Invite our sponsors or attend our charity dinner. It is a wonderful Opportunity for Businesses to showcase their charitable side, and give back to our motherland.

If not you can donate here, even $10, that makes a huge difference.

And Gratitude once again to all my friends and V4U Entertainment management, ICA Vancouver, and all Indians and friends from various communities in Houston and Vancouver.

Gratitude

 

Yogesh Bhatia