30 Years, 30 Countries, and So Much More in Our Sights

<h3><strong>From Humble Beginnings to Global Impact</strong></h3><p>Cure Blindness Project’s exponential growth is due to our collaboration with hundreds of partners across 30 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South America. </p><p>Together, we’ve changed lives with: </p><ul><li><strong>1.6 million sight-restoring cataract surgeries</strong> performed.</li><li><strong>200,000 corneas secured</strong> through partnerships for transplants.</li><li><strong>16.5 million eye screenings</strong> conducted, identifying potential issues.</li><li><strong>50,000 cases of corneal blindness prevented.</strong></li></ul> <div class="row"> <div class="column small-12 medium-6" style="padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px"> <img src="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_800x600_crop_center-center_75_none/IMG_0113.jpg" style="margin: 8px 0" href="" alt="" /> </div> <div class="column small-12 medium-6" style="padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px"> <img src="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_800x600_crop_center-center_75_none/bright-side.jpg" style="margin: 8px 0" href="" alt="" /> </div> <div class="column small-12 medium-6" style="padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px"> <img src="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_800x600_crop_center-center_75_none/visionaries-club.jpg" style="margin: 8px 0" href="" alt="" /> </div> <div class="column small-12 medium-6" style="padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px"> <img src="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_800x600_crop_center-center_75_none/HCP-56.jpg" style="margin: 8px 0" href="" alt="" /> </div> </div> <div style="height: 40px; width: 100%; clear: both"></div> <h3><strong>A Timeline of 30 Years of Transforming Lives</strong></h3><p>Over the past 30 years, Cure Blindness Project has celebrated numerous milestones in our quest to eliminate avoidable blindness:</p> <div class="timeline-wrapper" data-timeline="58529"> <div class="steps"> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>1995</h3> <p>Founded by Drs. Sanduk Ruit and Geoffrey Tabin, the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) launched to combat preventable blindness in Nepal, pioneering a sustainable model of eye care delivery.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>1996-2000</h3> <p>Expanded our reach to Tibet and Bhutan, training local surgeons and establishing eye care centers to build local capacity.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>2000-2010</h3> <p>Experienced significant growth, adding programs in India, Ghana, and Ethiopia, significantly increasing the number of surgeries performed annually.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>2010-2020</h3> <p>Continued our expansion, reaching new countries in Africa and Asia, adapting our model to meet the unique needs of each region.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>2020</h3> <p>Surpassed a major milestone: 1 million sight-restoring surgeries performed.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>2023</h3> <p>Acquired SightLife International to combine expertise and resources to expand our mission to include corneal blindness.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> <div class="steps-container"> <div class="content"> <h3>2024</h3> <p>Rebranded to Cure Blindness Project to better articulate our mission; to cure avoidable blindness whatever the cause, wherever it’s found. Expanded to six new countries: Burundi, DRC, Liberia, Pakistan, Paraguay, and Zambia, bringing hope and vision to even more people in need.</p> </div> <i class="step-line"></i> </div> </div> </div> <style> .timeline-wrapper { margin: 80px 0 } .timeline-wrapper h2 { margin-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; display: block; border-bottom: 0 } .steps { position: relative } .steps::after { content: ""; position: absolute; width: 2px; background-color: #bca58f; top: -20px; bottom: 0; left: 50% } .steps .content { width: 100% } .steps .content p { margin-bottom: 8px; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 500; font-size: 1rem } .steps .content h3 { display: inline-block; margin: 0 0 5px; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700 } .steps-container { position: relative; background-color: inherit; width: calc(50% + 40px) } .steps-container .content { padding: 0 32px 20px; background-color: transparent; position: relative; border-radius: 30px } .steps-container { display: flex } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(odd) .content { text-align: right } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) { left: calc(50% - 40px); flex-direction: row-reverse } .step-line { width: 30px; background-color: #bca58f; height: 2px; margin-top: 13px; flex-shrink: 0; position: relative; left: -9px } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) .step-line { left: 10px } .timeline-toggle { display: block; width: 100%; border: 0; background: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; cursor: pointer; text-align: inherit; font: inherit; color: inherit; appearance: none; -webkit-appearance: none } .timeline-toggle:focus { outline: none } .timeline-toggle:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2e414f; outline-offset: 4px } .timeline-copy { display: inline-flex; flex-direction: column; max-width: 100%; } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(odd) .timeline-copy { align-items: flex-end; } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) .timeline-copy { align-items: flex-start; } .timeline-year-row { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; margin-bottom: 5px } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) .timeline-year-row { flex-direction: row-reverse } .steps .content .timeline-copy h3 { display: block; margin: 0; line-height: 1; text-align: inherit } .timeline-icons { flex-shrink: 0; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; line-height: 1; transform: translateY(-3px); margin-top: 4px } .timeline-icon { font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1; color: #2e414f } .timeline-subhead { display: inline-block; margin: 0 0 8px; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; line-height: 1.3; color: #2e414f; text-align: inherit } .timeline-icon--minus { display: none } .steps-container.is-open .timeline-icon--plus { display: none } .steps-container.is-open .timeline-icon--minus { display: inline-block } .timeline-panel { overflow: hidden; max-height: 0; transition: max-height 0.4s ease } .timeline-panel-inner { overflow: hidden } @media (max-width: 767px) { .timeline-wrapper h2 { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 30px } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(odd) .content { text-align: left } .steps::after { left: 5px; top: -10px } .steps-container { left: 0; flex-direction: row-reverse; width: auto; margin-bottom: 30px } .steps-container .content { padding: 0 0 0 22px; } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) { left: 0 } .step-line { position: relative; left: 6px; width: 20px } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(odd) .timeline-year-row, .steps .steps-container:nth-child(even) .timeline-year-row { flex-direction: row-reverse } .steps .steps-container:nth-child(odd) .timeline-copy { align-items: flex-start } } </style> <h3><strong>Looking Forward with Optimism</strong></h3><p>"We are incredibly proud of our past achievements," K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project, states, "but even more excited for the future. We remain dedicated to fulfilling the mission that began in Nepal 30 years ago. While we've accomplished so much, we understand that there's still a significant number of people who need our help. We are honored to be a part of this life-changing work, restoring sight and hope to millions."</p> <div class="row quote-container"> <div class="column shrink quote-image align-center"> <figure style="max-width: 100%"> <img title="K T staffpage" alt="K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project" class="quoteImage" style="width: 600px" src="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/K-T-staffpage.jpg" srcset="https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_600x600_crop_center-center_80_none/K-T-staffpage.jpg 600w, https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_600x600_crop_center-center_80_none/K-T-staffpage.jpg 600w, https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_600x600_crop_center-center_80_none/K-T-staffpage.jpg 600w, https://d3c4xa94vmylbm.cloudfront.net/images/_400x400_crop_center-center_80_none/K-T-staffpage.jpg 400w" sizes="100vw" > </figure> </div> <div class="column small-12 medium-expand"> <blockquote style="color: #E8865B"> While we&#039;ve accomplished so much, we understand that there&#039;s still a significant number of people who need our help. We are honored to be a part of this life-changing work, restoring sight and hope to millions. <cite style="color: #E8865B"> K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project </cite> </blockquote> </div> </div> <style> .quote-image p { margin-bottom: 50px; font-size: .9rem; margin-left: 15px } </style>