Navi Mumbai: Two senior citizens from a remote part of Panvel recently regained their vision after undergoing free cataract surgeries at Laxmi Charitable Trust, a leading care hospital, Panvel. This life-changing procedure was made possible by The Divine Foundation, a Navi Mumbai-based charitable trust, which raised the required funds through an innovative approach—Health from Waste.
The four-year-old Divine Foundation launched a campaign encouraging individuals to donate old newspapers, scrap materials, plastic waste, and even soiled currency notes to generate funds. Founder-President D.H. Subramaniam, who had envisioned this concept for a long time, decided to implement it in conjunction with Women’s Day celebrations. The two women who underwent the operation were Nagubai Jaydev Patil (Age 74) and Namabai Dagadu Khutarkar (Age 55).
Panvel Seniors Regain Vision Through Waste-to-Health Charity Initiative | File Photo
“This concept was there in my mind for a long time, and when the plan to do the cataract came up, we decided to implement it. The plan was to get the operation done during Women’s Day. The collection process began around ten days before, and to our absolute delight, in a matter of three or four days, the amount was raised,” said Subramaniam.
The initiative was spearheaded by trustee Sujatha Ranganathan, who led an extensive social media campaign to spread awareness and encourage participation. Their efforts resulted in the collection of over 1,500 kg of recyclable waste, which in turn generated ₹26,000, fully covering the cost of the surgeries. The other volunteers involved were volunteers Shantanu Patil and Siddhesh Patil
The foundation’s persistence and engagement with the community proved to be a game-changer. Even torn and soiled currency notes were exchanged at the bank contributing further to the funds. "One of the most heartwarming aspects of the initiative was the enthusiastic participation of young volunteers and children. Families across communities stepped forward, making it a true grassroots movement," said the founder.
With four successful surgeries already sponsored under this model, The Divine Foundation now aims to conduct at least one cataract surgery every month.
