When nine-year-old Abhinav Sobti was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes, it came as a shock. Thankfully, the condition was mild and has not required surgery yet. But during follow-up visits to India, he noticed how access to even basic eye care was limited for many children. That experience stayed with him; an early glimpse into how something as simple as a pair of glasses could transform a child's daily life.

Years later, that quiet realization became the spark behind 'The Gift of Sight', a student-led initiative that has now restored vision to more than 15,000 underprivileged children across India.

Abhinav, currently a Year 12 student in Dubai, launched the campaign three years ago, with a handful of collection boxes around his school.“We tend to change our glasses or stop using them, but those frames are still valuable,” he said.“It felt wrong that so many sat unused when they could help someone else see clearly.”

The first collection, which was around 50 pairs, was sent to Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital in India, where specialists refurbished and distributed them to children in need.

Encouraged by the success, Abhinav expanded the effort, building a network of more than 80 youth ambassadors across the UAE and India. Together, they have organized multiple eyewear collection drives in their own respective communities, ensuring that no usable pair of glasses goes to waste.

Today, the refurbished spectacles are distributed through a growing network of NGOs across India, including Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, Model Eye Hospital, People for Action, Swaraj Vikas Foundation, and Yuva Shakti Parakram. Each pair helps a child regain confidence and provides access to education while preventing unnecessary plastic and metal waste from ending up in landfills.

“It's about giving both the glasses and the opportunities they provide, a second life,” Abhinav explained.“Every frame reused connects environmental responsibility with access to healthcare and learning.”

The initiative has drawn recognition from Mr. Harsh Mahajan, Rajya Sabha member of the Indian Parliament, who commended the campaign's innovative approach to linking sustainability with social good.

For Abhinav, the project is as much about gratitude as it is about giving.“I was fortunate that my eyes weren't seriously affected,” he said.“But it made me aware of how many others struggle without even basic vision support. If an old pair of glasses can change that - why should they ever go to waste?”

What started as a simple school project in Dubai has evolved into an engagement that brings sight, confidence, and hope to thousands. One pair of glasses at a time.

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