New documentary released on childhood cataracts and extreme poverty
The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has released a brand new documentary short that showcases how childhood cataracts can exacerbate a families poverty.
The documentary follows a family of six in the rural Jajakot region of Nepal. Three of the four children suffer have lived with needless cataract blindness for years and the eldest of the blind children has gone without sight for eight years.
The film is an emotive account of the troubles that a family can face when they’re burdened with childhood cataracts. The parents are unable to work and earn a substantial living as a lot of their time is dedicated to assisting their visually impaired children. The round-the-clock care has left them with very little money and devastatingly, the children are all malnourished.
At just twelve years old, the eldest child who has not developed cataracts, is a provider and caregiver to his younger siblings when his parents are occupied trying to earn a living or tend to their small band of livestock. Spending a lot of his time ensuring his siblings are safe, the eldest son is sacrificing his education in order to support his family. This situation is not something the parents are happy with and there are very emotional moments in the documentary that reveal the toll childhood cataracts is taking on them.
The documentary shows the journey the family takes to regain the sight of their three children, with assistance from teams from the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation. Highlighting the importance of intervention in treating childhood cataracts and showcasing how support can prevent rising cases of extreme poverty, the foundation hopes this documentary will increase awareness of this prevalent problem in the developing world.
The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation is a restricted fund operating under the auspices of Prism The Gift Fund, registered UK charity number 1099682.