WonderWork to intensify work in India, plans more surgeries

International charity organisation WonderWork that provides free surgeries to underprivileged patients suffering from blindness, club foot and burn injuries plans to intensify its activities in India with an aim to help around 13,400 people this year.

The New York-based organisation that has many renowned people on its board, including Tata Motors Vice-Chairman Ravi Kant, has been active in India since August 2012 and so far conducted around 19,700 surgeries across eight states.

"Tens of millions of children and adult in India are suffering with problems that can be solved through very simple and inexpensive surgeries. We want to expand our work in India by increasing awareness about the activities being done here," WonderWork CEO Brian Mullaney told PTI.

In order to scale up WonderWork's activities in India and also to bring about awareness among donors in the US, the charity had recently organised a trip for celebrity supporters.

The delegation, which went to various locations across the country, included Citigroup board member William Thompson, actor Jane Kaczmarek and Chairman of Heidrick and Struggles Ted Dysart.

Ravi Kant, who is Honorary Board member of WonderWork and founder, and Mullaney were also part of the delegation.

"The goal of this trip was to show major American donors and supporters how many children and adults are suffering with these problems in India, how talented and terrific the Indian doctors and nurses are and how effective our WonderWork programmes are," Mullaney said.

The trip has been an enormous success and will help WonderWork to raise awareness and funds for programmes in India, he added.

Besides India, WonderWork has been active in various other parts of the world including Africa, South East Asia and Afghanistan.

Wonderwork provides free surgeries for children and adults who are blind, severely burned or crippled with clubfoot.

The charity organisation empowers local doctors through free training, free equipment and financial aid through 63 programmes and partners in 59 of the world's poorest countries.