Keeping their eyes on the road

Sandeep Kumar, a truck driver from India, stands in front of his truck.

In September 2017, one of the country’s biggest Eye Health Programmes for the truck drivers’ community was launched. The programme seeks to reach out to 500,000 truck drivers and helpers of the laborious 9 million truck drivers and transporters community present in India. This 9 million-truck driver community transports 65% of national cargo by road.

Sightsavers realises the importance of eye health for the overworked truckers’ community in ensuring road safety. Since drivers can’t get to eye care services, Sightsavers in India have created a system which takes the services directly to them. RAAHI is one of the biggest eye health programmes in the country for the overworked truck drivers’ community.

The programme’s ingenious: there are over 30 sites around India’s ‘golden quadrilateral’, which covers the main long distance haulage routes across the whole country. Some are permanent vision centres, others pop-up outreach camps, but all are in locations where drivers stop as part of their usual route to rest or unload cargo.

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Sandeep wears special glasses while an eye health worker tests his eyes.

Truckers queue up to be registered by eye health workers at the screening camp.

Indian truck drivers sit on the ground and relax in front of their trucks.

Mohammad Islam Ansari sitting in his orange truck looking out of the door.

Find out more about our work

What we do

More on the programme

Stories / Eye health /

Eyes on the Road: Chhattisgarh’s First Woman Truck Driver Sheds Light on Eye Health

Stories / Eye health /

Meet Selvamani G, a remarkable 56-year-old woman defying stereotypes in the male-dominated truck driving industry.

Stories / Eye health /

"Thank you, Sightsavers India, for transforming lives like mine."

News / Eye health /

Effectiveness of Ready2Clip Spectacles among Truck Drivers; Findings from National Truckers Eye Health Programme

September 2022

News / Eye health /

Approximately 1.3 million people die in road accidents globally and one out of ten people killed in road accidents is from India.

September 2022

News / Eye health /

The event was attended by internationally acclaimed actor and director, Mr Kabir Bedi who is also the Honorary Brand Ambassador for Sightsavers India, and Shri Amit Kumar Ghosh, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

September 2022

Blogs / Eye health /

India is home to over 9 million truck drivers. Truck drivers play a significant role in transporting India’s freight; however their unorganised nature of work prohibits them to take their health issues seriously.

Shailendra Kumar, Deepshikha Sharma & Jatin Tiwari, July 2021

News / Events /

Photography Contest – “Safe eyes for Safer roads”

February 2021

News / Eye health /

Sightsavers India partner’s with JSPL to provide Primary Eye Health Services for Truck Drivers

February 2021

News / Eye health /

Extending eye services to the least served areas, Sightsavers India is enabling people to live lives of independence and dignity

May 2020

Blogs / Eye health /

There are at least nine million truck drivers in India… or there could be 12 million… no-one quite knows.

Sir Clive Jones, March 2020

News / Eye health /

Kabir Bedi, the Brand Ambassador of Sightsavers India, visited the eye screening camp in Bhiwandi on the successful completion of its one year.

December 2018

We work to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

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Keeping their eyes on the road

Find out more about our work

More on the programme

Kajal's story

Selvamani's story

Jaiprakash's story

Effectiveness of Ready2Clip Spectacles among Truck Drivers; Findings from National Truckers Eye Health Programme

Eyes on the Highway: RAAHI National Truckers’ Eye Health Programme-Learnings and Reflections

Sightsavers India celebrated five years of RAAHI- National Truckers Eye Health Programme

RAAHI– Serving those that serve us

Photography Contest - “Safe eyes for Safer roads”

Sightsavers India partner's with JSPL to provide Primary Eye Health Services for Truck Drivers

Right to sight

Improving eye health and saving lives in India

Sightsavers Honorary Brand Ambassador Kabir Bedi encourages truck drivers to get their eyes tested

Protecting sight and promoting disability inclusion