Restoring Sight, Renewing Lives: Kanha Eye Camp 2025

At TOFT, we believe tourism can be a powerful force for conservation and community well-being. With an inclusive, bottom-up approach, we unite stakeholders—state tourism, forest departments, accommodations, travel agents, local NGOs, and others —under a shared vision that benefits both nature and people.

In line with this vision, we collaborated with Kanha Tiger Reserve and MGM Eye Institute, Raipur, to organize the Kanha Eye Camp 2025. Held across Mukki, Garhi, Kathiya, and Sijhora on February 21–22, 2025, this initiative provided free eye screenings, prescription glasses, and guidance to treatments to local communities who otherwise have limited healthcare access. Cataract surgeries will be facilitated for those who want to.

Many individuals—especially elderly residents, forest staff, safari guides, and children—face treatable vision impairments that hinder their ability to work, study, and live independently. By restoring sight, our aim was to empower lives, enhance livelihoods, and foster self-reliance.

Wildlife tourism thrives when local communities are engaged and supported. The Kanha Eye Camp is a testament to how collective action can create a sustainable future for both people and wildlife. A special thanks to Kanha Jungle Camp, Sterling Holidays Kanha, Kanha Earth Lodge, Bagh Villas Kanha, Surwahi Social Ecoestate, and Dadaguru for their generosity.

Inspired by this success, we aim to replicate similar healthcare interventions in other underserved regions. Thank you to MGM Eye Institute, Kanha Tiger Reserve, and all partners and volunteers who made this initiative possible.

Together, let’s build a future where communities and conservation thrive together.