We have supported this remarkable organisation over several decades. The extraordinary work that the Devadaya Trust carry out is concentrated in Wankaner in Gujarat, India. This includes the building, running and maintenance of school projects, the building and running of the Diagnostic Centre (Bandu Samaj) and the building of the NR Doshi Eye Hospital and Waymade School of Ophthalmic Study.
Additionally, there are regular eye camps scheduled at certain times of the year, with the number of children treated increasing over the years. The Shanta Foundation has sponsored the camps in conjunction with the Lion’s Club of Enfield; it is supported by ophthalmic surgeons and other health care professionals from around the world including India, the US and the UK. The service provided by international professionals is voluntary. Along with the medical care, the Trust also provide post-operative care, food and medicine for its patients.
Twenty primary and secondary schools have been founded by Devadaya in the poorest areas in and around Wankaner. A visit by the Trustees of Shanta Foundation in January 2024 highlighted continued progress achieved at the schools. The attendance at the schools was good and the capacity of the schools was fully utilised. There was focus on providing facilities for IT learning for the students. Devadaya has also recently launched the rollout of AI learning, use of drone technology and 3D graphic printers to 41 schools.
Shanta Foundation has sponsored the future build of the Technology Centre of Excellence Institute in Wankaner. This will support further rollout of tech-based learning in rural Gujarat and help close the gap between technology standards in rural India and the major cities of India to help young people from the rural areas obtain better jobs and change more lives.
During our visit to NR Doshi Eye Hospital in January 2024, we saw many cataract operations being performed. More serious eye surgeries were treated by specialist eye surgeons who had travelled from abroad to give their service without any charge. In the current fiscal year, 29,500 outpatients were seen at the hospital and there were 2,900 eye surgeries carried out of which 135 were squint surgeries and the rest were all cataract surgeries.
At the visit to the Diagnostic Centre (Bandu Samaj) in Wankaner there were patients receiving ENT treatment, general medical consultation, dental treatment and physiotherapy. The diagnostic centre is situated in a congested area of Wankaner and the facilities are in need of upgrading. The Trustees of Shanta Foundation have visited possible sites on the outskirts of the town where it could be relocated to.
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