by Suman Gupta
500,000 Children, 2000+ Schools, One Vision: ICICI Lombard’s ‘Caring Hands’ Brings Clear Sight to Young India
Mumbai, 19th Feb, 2025 – Remember that classmate who always sat in the front row, who would lean unusually close to their notebook, or who struggled to read from the blackboard? What if their academic challenges weren’t about lack of interest, but simply about not being able to see clearly? This reality unfolds every single school day for 3.4 million children across India who struggle with vision problems that could be corrected with something as simple as a pair of glasses.
It is this powerful insight that drives ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited’s latest campaign film for their flagship CSR initiative ‘Caring Hands’. The emotionally stirring film brings to light the silent battles fought by countless school children dealing with undiagnosed vision problems, capturing the attention of viewers across platforms.
Through the lens of a young student’s daily struggle, the campaign film presents a story that resonates with anyone who has ever sat in a classroom. We witness a child straining to copy from neighbouring notebooks, unable to read the blackboard clearly, facing embarrassment when questioned by his teacher – all because the world appears blurry through his eyes. The narrative powerfully illustrates how poor vision can impact not just a child’s academic performance, but their self-esteem and future prospects.
Ms. Sheena Kapoor – Head Marketing, Corporate Communications & CSR, ICICI Lombard, said, “Every year, ‘Caring Hands’ gives us moments that touch our hearts and get etched in our memories. Given that this is a 100% employee volunteering initiative, it has provided not only a sense of pride and gratification for our employees but we have also impacted over 5 lakh children. They come back with stories that are moving – of a child’s joy at seeing the world clearly for the first time, of a future that suddenly looks brighter. Caring Hands, is more than just an eye check-up camps; it’s about bringing invisible struggles to light. The story of one child struggling to see the blackboard represents millions across India. Through this film, we hope to spark a larger conversation on children’s eye health and inspire meaningful change in this often-overlooked area.”
What sets Caring Hands apart is its unique employee-volunteering model, where ICICI Lombard employees take complete ownership of the initiative. These volunteers coordinate with schools, work alongside ophthalmologists, and ensure that children receive their prescribed spectacles – turning corporate social responsibility into personal social commitment.
The impact speaks volumes:
- Over 500,000 children tested across 2000+ schools in more than 120 cities
- More than 50,000 spectacles provided to children in need
- 100% employee volunteering initiative demonstrating corporate India’s commitment to social change
Through this initiative, ICICI Lombard continues to demonstrate how corporate intervention can create meaningful impact in addressing critical healthcare challenges faced by India’s young population.
Film Link – https://youtu.be/A46T_oXYU6s?feature=shared
#ICICILombard #CaringHands #SheenaKapoor #CSR #EyeCheckUp
About ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd.: ICICI Lombard is the leading private general insurance company in the country. The company offers a comprehensive and well-diversified range of products through multiple distribution channels, including motor, health, crop, fire, personal accident, marine, engineering, and liability insurance. With a legacy of over 2 decades, ICICI Lombard is committed to customer centricity with its brand philosophy of ‘Nibhaye Vaade’. The company has issued over 36.2 million policies, honoured over 2.9 million claims, and has a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of ₹255.94 billion for the year ended March 31, 2024. ICICI Lombard has 312 branches and 13,670 employees, as of March 31, 2024.
ICICI Lombard has been a pioneer in the industry and is the first large scale insurance company in India to migrate its entire core systems to the cloud. With a strong focus on being digital led and agile, it has launched a plethora of tech-driven innovations, including the industry’s first Face Scan on its signature insurance and wellness App – IL TakeCare, with over 13.2 million downloads. The company has won several laurels, including ET Corporate Excellence Awards, Golden Peacock Awards, FICCI Insurance Awards, Assocham, Stevie Asia Pacific, National CSR Awards, etc. for its various initiatives. For more details, log on to http://www.icicilombard.com.
