Pursuant to the provisions of section 617.1006, Florida Statutes, this Florida [USA], not for profit corporation is organized to promote, educate and involve people in rural and tribal areas of developing countries to help achieve a better way of life for the needy, distressed, and underprivileged.

This organization is dedicated exclusively for charitable, religious, and scientific purposes under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future U.S. federal tax code.

For almost a decade, Unnati Foundation Inc. (UNIFO) has been conducting eye sight restoration campaigns in India in the form of make-shift clinics. Local Indian surgeons and volunteers are recruited to help with the clinics, free of charge. So far these clinics have been held in Gyanpur, Bhadohi (U.P.); Lucknow (U.P.); Jaora, Ratlam (M.P.), and Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu.

Beginning 2006, UNIFO has stressed emphasis on including women and children for eye sight restoration. In case of women, they often do not receive help due to discrimination. In case of children, they are often overlooked in favor of helping an adult.

UNIFO’s role in the eye camps is at several levels. First, a grass roots effort is made utilizing the talents of local volunteers—doctors and social workers--who assist in management, task execution, and surgery. The funds that UNIFO raises are used to help pay for the patient’s medicines, food and care while at the clinic. When the funds provided by UNIFO are not enough, the local volunteers and doctors help raise funds. This is just another way of encouraging the grass roots involvement. Second, the local volunteers are getting used to the idea of reaching out on their own to those who are living among them that are poor, distressed and underprivileged.

Third, Unnati Foundation has also had a positive influence in the area of establishing strict guidelines for eye camp procedures. During early years, UNIFO had observed that eye clinics that they had seen conducted in India were lacking in hygienic and sterile conditions. From the start of Unnati’s eye camps, guidelines were established and enforced that ensured that patients were not put at risk for infection and disease during their treatment. Now, all Unnati eye camp clinics are conducted in a sterile environment.

So far, the eye camps have been Unnati’s main activities and have claimed up to seventy-five percent of its resources. That is changing.

A vital project that Unnati Foundation has embarked upon is assisting an orphanage in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. This southern tip of India was affected by the last tsunami. Children were made homeless. They were wandering the streets. Thirty-three children now live in this licensed orphanage that is managed by local volunteers. The Directors of UNIFO, while they were in India during 2005, learned about this orphanage which is a part of PURA—People’s Upliftment in Rural areas—a local non-governmental organization.

On December 23, 2006, Unnati Foundation conducted a preventive eye camp at PURA orphanage. In addition to checking the eye sight of children, needy neighborhood women also came for their eye check up and for prescription glasses. We subsidize expenses for food, clothing and education of these children. Helping children at the PURA orphanage helps UNIFO accomplish its goal by working with volunteers in India to help the poor, distressed and underprivileged achieve a better and sustainable way of life. This objective is accomplished by not just providing the basic necessities the children have but by inculcating hope for the future that these children can have a better life as adults. No doubt a basic care helps develop self-worth, in addition to finding employment in the future.

Unnati Foundation has many plans to help the needy poor, women and children in particular, but there are limitations due to scarcity of funds and local volunteers. We invite interested readers to help. Please contact us at:

Unnati Foundation Inc.

P. O. Box 970972

Boca Raton, Florida 33497-0972 U.S.A. E-Mail: satibaba1@bellsouth.net