Mission and Policy (Beleidsplan)
The mission of Shared Vision was to provide preventive health care services and education to the poorest of the poor in the remote villages of Western Rajasthan in India. Western Rajasthan is one of the poorer areas of India and the people living in the rural countryside have many diseases and conditions that are largely preventable or treatable. All activities of Shared Vision have been transferred to the Blind People’s Association (India), based in Ahmedabad, India.
Why does the work of Shared Vision make a difference?
The foundation, set up in 2003 and terminated nearly 20 years later in 2022, grew out of concern for the old and blind people of Western Rajasthan with visible evidence of poverty, malnutrition and associated diseases and conditions. We have found that one of the most fundamental life-influencing impairments – and one of the easiest to remedy – in this population is the gift of sight.
Stichting Shared Vision provided corrective eyeglasses or eye-surgery (or both) to men, women and children so their vision can be improved, and they can learn and work, or return to work. This improves their quality of life tremendously. The program was called The Mobile Refraction Clinic (MRC). The “seed money” to start the program was donated by Cordaid and Eye Care Worldwide in The Netherlands.
Income generation / fund raising
Stichting Shared Vision gained income and raises funds through generous donations from individuals, foundations, businesses, and institutions. Various international donors and volunteers kindly provided their time, relevant material donations (e.g. spectacle frames), and monetary resources for this non-profit organization. This same approach is taken by the Blind People’s Association (India), which undertakes similar work on a broader scale and delivers care to so many people in need: https://bpaindia.org/
Management and spending of funds
All funds raised were solely used for program delivery towards the above mission and related expenses.
Key Executives
Former Board Chairmen
Mr. Alexander Shivananda
Former Board Members
Dr. Geert van Etten
Dr. Henk van Slooten
Mr. Gerard Beunk MSc
Dr. Jeremy D. Bangs
Mr. Nicolaas van Wijk
All former board members are professionals from various fields, such as public health, medicine, finance, management consulting, notary and history.
Remuneration policy (Beloningsbeleid): Board members received no payments for their work on the foundation projects. It was all volunteer work.
Stichting Shared Vision – Formerly a Dutch Foundation
Shared Vision’s activities were terminated in 2022. It was previously registered in The Netherlands as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling or Public Benefit Organisation) charity and with The Chamber of Commerce.
Activities are now continued by the Blind People’s Association (India) https://bpaindia.org
132 Ft Ring Road, Andhjan Mandal BRTS bus stop,
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad – 380015, Gujarat, India
Shared Vision - Formerly a Dutch Foundation 