India is home to the world’s largest blind population, with more than 4.95 million blind individuals and around 70 million others living with vision impairment.
Among those striving to make a difference is 17-year-old Ameya Meattle from Singapore, who is redefining empowerment for the visually impaired.
Ameya’s journey began during a visit to the Blind Relief Association with his grandmother one summer. Inspired by the resilience of the visually impaired children he met, he returned each year determined to contribute meaningfully. By the age of 14, Ameya had launched his social enterprise, Earth First, with a mission to create opportunities for the visually impaired.
Earth First began as a small initiative but quickly grew through partnerships with eight NGOs across Singapore and India. Ameya trained over 100 visually impaired individuals to produce eco-friendly items such as tote bags, jute placemats, and macrame planters.
The products were sold at pop-ups, bazaars, corporate events, and retail stores in Singapore, raising over $12,000—all reinvested in training and skill development programs.
Building on this success, Ameya created a Python coding curriculum for more than 50 visually impaired students, enabling them to transition from crafts to technical professions.
“He has helped our students explore new career paths in technology,” said representatives from the Blind Relief Association in Delhi.
Eye tests can often be difficult for children, non-English speakers, and individuals with cognitive challenges. Collaborating with Dr. Pawan Sinha at MIT, Ameya developed a VR-based diagnostic game that makes visual acuity testing interactive and accessible.
Piloted at MIT’s Sinha Lab and through Project Prakash—which offers cataract surgery and vision care to children in rural India—the tool turns vision testing into a fun and engaging experience.
Ameya’s recent innovation addresses the issue of indoor navigation for the visually impaired. Working with Dr. Matthew Varghese’s Project Canary, he helped design an audio-guided navigation device that aids movement in complex indoor spaces such as hospitals and universities.
The device is already operational at Maitreyi College (Delhi University), St. Stephens Hospital, and Cure India. “His level of initiative and execution is rare at any age,” said Dr. Smriti Singh, accessibility consultant at Project Canary.
Ameya’s efforts blend empathy with innovation, transforming hundreds of lives and setting the stage for more.
His upcoming plans include expanding the navigation tool to new locations and refining the VR acuity system for clinical use.
“I believe everyone deserves a chance to see their potential,” says Ameya. At just 17, his work exemplifies how compassion and creativity can come together to change lives.