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The First Quarter has been an exciting and productive beginning to the Fiscal Year 2008-09.
In the last quarter of FY07-08, the Six Teams of Competencies (TOCs) had come up with strategies in the areas of Advocacy, Policy and Program Development, Quality Eye Care, Resource Mobilization and Sustainability, Resource Center and Organization Capacity Development. Based on the Prioritized strategies, activity and budgeting was done for FY08-09.
Some of the key decisions taken during the quarter were conducting the 4th AGBM at Jodhpur, Rajasthan and inviting His Excellency, former President of India and Global Ambassador of Vision 2020, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam to be the Chief Guest at the AGBM.
National Secretariat Team
The focus of the current quarter (Q1, FY08-09) has been on strengthening partnership with the NPCB, updating and following up on the membership database and subscription, and providing programmatic support to Vision 2020 India Members and completing the 3-member team at the National Secretariat by identifying and recruiting an Administrative Executive.
Board Meeting:
Dr AS Rathore, ADG (Opth) discussing the XIth Five Year Plan
in the 18th Board Meeting at National Secretariat, New Delhi
18th Board Meeting was conducted at the National Secretariat at New Delhi on 8th April 2008.
Organization related activities:
During this period, application for seeking permanent registration with the Central Government under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 was submitted, and the preliminary investigation by the Home Ministry Official was conducted. This will enable the organization to accept foreign contribution, thereby enhancing its capacity to mobilize resources for its programs.
The Annual Audit (FY07-08) was conducted.
Working in Partnership with the National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB) of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
Member Organizations of VISION 2020 INDIA are located in 47 districts of 13 states & Union Territories of India (http://www.vision2020india.org/membership.asp). VISION 2020 INDIA has worked on 3 key issues, i.e., (1) Various clauses requiring amendment to the Transplantation of the Human Organs Act, 1994, (2) Streamlining the Grant In Aid Scheme, and (3) XIth Five Year Implementation Plan.
Data received from its members have been shared with the NPCB. Subsequent to the approval of the 11th Five Year Plan, a National Level Workshop will be conducted to review the Guidelines for District Blindness Control Society and NGO Participation.
VISION 2020 INDIA also worked in the design of a Pilot Project in three states on a Sight Guarantee Program (Project ANMOL) - it focuses on a paradigm shift in Eye Donation, moving beyond a sympathetic and philanthropic activity and numbers to Rights-Based Approach (RBA). It means a post-donation scenario of sight restored to the recipient.
Meeting was held with Dr. Mothilal, SPO of Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad to discuss the status of program in the state, including issues related to reimbursement of Grant In-aid, specifically. Sadhuram Lions Eye Hospital, Hyderabad and M. Ram Reddy Lions Eye Hospital, Mehbubnagar. Dr. P. Srinivasa Reddy of AP Right to Sight Society was also present in the meeting.
Membership:
Apart from grant mode of support from the Founder INGOs (CBM, Operation Eyesight Universal, Orbis International and Sightsavers International), membership subscription from its various categories of members is a crucial source of revenues for the Organization. Membership dues were pending for varying period of time, and a drive was initiated to strengthen this source of revenue. At the end of first quarter, 65.5% of the projected revenues from Membership were obtained. 20 of 66 member organizations (30.3%) still had their subscriptions pending by the end of first quarter. This will again be followed up in the next quarter.
New Member: LEPRA Society from Secunderabad was inducted as an Institutional Member from the South Zone. It became the 66th member of the VISION 2020 INDIA family.
Visit to Member Organizations:
Member organizations are the main strength of VISION 2020 INDIA. Visit was made to member organizations in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh
West Bengal:
In West Bengal visit was made to Rotary Club of Purulia Service Centre, a charitable eye hospital along with Dr. AS Rathore from NPCB. Efforts were made to provide programmatic inputs to the hospital as well as assist them in developing better partnership with the DBCS. Assistance was provided in developing a project proposal to start 10 Vision Centres in two phases within the existing PHCs in the district of Purulia. If proven to be a successful approach, this model would be replicated in other districts with the help of member organizations.
Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital in Kolkata, one of the several eye hospitals managed by Aravind Eye Care System was visited. A tour of the hospital was made to know the facilities available and understand its potentiality to become a VISION 2020 INDIA member. This hospital plans to develop itself into a Centre of Excellence in the eastern region.
Andhra Pradesh:
Visit was also made to LVPEI, Sadhuram Lions Eye Hospital in Hyderabad and M. Ram Reddy Lions Eye Hospital in Mehbubnagar to understand the work done by the member organizations, and their concerns.
Visit to AP Right to Sight Society provided better understanding of the work being done in the state through the Society in collaboration with the State Government. This meeting also unfolded the plans that have been developed for the benefit of the tribal communities of the state.
Our 66 members are working in 13 states. The following table helps us direct our membership drive in those zones and states where there are very few members.
| Zone |
North |
South |
East |
West |
| States / Members |
New Delhi = 7 |
AP = 16 |
Orissa = 4 |
Gujarat = 3 |
| Punjab = 1 |
Karnataka = 4 |
West Bengal = 2 |
Maharashtra = 11 |
| UP = 2 |
Kerala = 2 |
|
Rajasthan = 4 |
| MP = 4 |
TN = 6 |
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| Total Members |
14 |
28 |
6 |
18 |
| 66 members |
Programmatic inputs:
Dr AV Mehta, Past International President, LCIF moderating
the Workshop on Strengthening Public Private Partnerships.
VISION 2020 INDIA Team assisted the Lions Group (East and North East India) in organizing a Regional Workshop (Sahayogita) to strengthen Public-Private Partnership. The report of this workshop is available at
http://www.vision2020india.org/KolkataWorkshopReportFinalMay19th2008.pdf
Faculty support was also provided for the Diploma in Community Eye Health course conducted by LVPEI for the Ophthalmic Officers. Focus of the session was on Leadership as well as the Role of Ophthalmic Officers in contributing to attaining the goal of Vision 2020 India.
Please visit www.vision2020india.org to know more about VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - INDIA.
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