Optometry and Educational Projects around the World

"A society, in order to live and survive, must be
characterized by an overwhelming solidarity, a
capacity to understand other peoples situation, a
feeling of mutual responsibility and participation.
Otherwise, sooner or later, it falls apart to petty
egoism. There is never them and we,
there is only we.

Solidarity is, and must be, indivisible."

- Olof Palme, 1969 -

 

SOME PHOTOS FROM OUR JOURNEYS

_________

TRAVELSTORIES

 

What is Vision For All (VFA)?

We are a non-profit organization that wishes to awake the interests and consciousness of people in general and Optometrists/Opticians in Sweden and around the world, in particular, on how important and desirable their contribution can be in developing countries. We work with the poor - those in greatest need. These people would never have the possibility to pay for an eye check up let alone afford eyeglasses, so in no way do we compete with the native optometrists there.
 

We want optometrists to experience a unique 2-3 weeks of intensive work. It is no vacation, only hard work, simple food and lodgings. Despite this, we can assure them an unforgettable experience.
 

Now, more than ever, we wish to thank you for your great contribution from your beautiful country.

- Marina Maradiaga P.-
Vice-President of the Native American Womens Coop in Sutiaba, "Xochilt Acal"
(León, Nicaragua, July, 96)

Where has VFA worked before?

Vision For All has organized and led a number of earlier trips with excellent results to:

  1. Estelí, Nicaragua (april 95)
    6 optometrists, 0 assistants, 339 patients

  2. León-Chinandega, Nicaragua (June-July 96)
    4 optometrists, 0 assistants, 828 patients

  3. Temuco, Cañete, Chile (December 96)
    1 optometrist, 4 assistants, 750 patients

  4. Surco-Barranco, Perú (December 96)
    1 optometrists, 4 assistants, 184 patients

  5. Estelí-Chinandega, Nicaragua (June 97)
    2 optometrists, 4 assistants, 560 patients

  6. Quilmaná, Surco, Trujillo, Perú (February 98)
    1 optometrists, 1 assistant, 473 patients

  7. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Nicaragua (July 98)
    2 optometrists, 2 assistants, 460 patients

  8. Trujillo, Perú (February 99)
    5 optometrists, 0 assistants,  1 015 patients

  9. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Nicaragua (July 99)
    2 optometrists, 0 assistants,  750 patients

  10. Trujillo, Perú (February 2000)
    2 optometrists, 0 assistants,  650 patients

  11. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Juigalpa,  Nicaragua ( October 2000) 
    2 optometrists, 3 assistants,  1 005 patients

  12. VFA members were in Cuba (November 2000)
    and delivered a container with optometric material.
    1 optometrists, 1 assistant.

  13. Surco, Trujillo, Perú (February - March 2001)
    8 optometrists, 4 assistants, 1563 patients

  14. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Juigalpa,  Nicaragua ( August - September 2001) 
    4 optometrists, 0 assistants, 1648 patients

  15. Havanna, Cuba (November 2001), 4 optometrists, 2 assistants,  
    delivered    optometric material.

  16. Surco, Trujillo, Perú (February 2002)
    5 optometrists, 8 assistants,  1531 patients

  17. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Juigalpa,  Nicaragua ( July 2002) 
    5 optometrists, 0 assistants, 1468 patients

  18. Asmara, Eritrea(November 2002)
    2 optometrists, 5 assistants, 624 patients

  19. Pucallpa, Trujillo, Arequipa, Perú (January 2003)
    6 optometrists, 9 assistants, 1703 patients

  20. Callao, Arequipa, Perú (April 2003)
    6 optometrists, 5 assistants, 1158 patients

  21. Atitlán, Chaculá, Guatemala, (June 2003)
    1 optometrists, 3 assistants, 614 patients

  22. Estelí, Chinandega, León, Juigalpa,  Nicaragua (July 2003) 
    3 optometrists, 2 assistants, 1134 patients

  23. Panevėžys,  Lithuania ( October 2003) 
    Study visit.     1 optometrist, 2 assistants

  24. Asmara, Eritrea(December 2003)
    1 optometrist, 2 assistants, 492 patients

  25. Pucallpa, Trujillo, Arequipa, Lima, Perú (January 2004)
    3 optometrists, 7 assistants, 1777 patients

  26. Argentina, (March 2004)
    Delivery of 12 boxes with optical material

  27. Hagas, Keren, Eritrea(April 20034
    6 optometrists, 4 assistants, 943 patients

  28. Panevėžys, Lithuania (june 2004)
    3 optometrists, 1 assistants, 131 patients

  29. Atitlán, Chaculá, Guatemala, (june 2004)
    3 optometrists, 6 assistants, 1221 patients

  30. Cuba, ( 2004)
    Delivery of container with optical material

  31. Kamuli, Uganda (October 2004)
    2 optometrists, 3 assistants, 622 patients

  32. Turiani, Morogoro, Tanzania (October 2004)
    1 optometrist, 3 assistants, 455 patients

  33. Solai, Kenya, (October 2004)
    1 optometrist, 2 assistants, 76 patients

  34. Pucallpa, Trujillo, Arequipa, Lima, Perú (January 2005)
    5    optometrists, 3assistants, 2149 patients

  35. Argentina (March 2005)
    9    optometrists, 6assistants, 723 patients

  36. Venezuela (March 2005)
    8    optometrists, 6assistants, 1057 patients

  37. Eritrea (April 2005)
    6    optometrists, 6assistants, 1202 patients

  38. Tanzania (november 2005)
    3 optometrists, 6 assistants, 1126 patients

  39. Lima, Perú (January 2006)
    1    optometrist, 3assistants, 651 patients

  40. Chile (January 2006)
    2 optometrists, 5     assistants    , 343 patients

  41. Ocotal, León, Juigalpa,  Nicaragua( January 2006) 
    3    optometrists,3 assistants,1095 patients

  42. South Africa(January 2006)
    1optometrist, 1assistant, 255 patients

  43. Venezuela (April 2006)
    6    optometrists, 7assistants, 1351 patients

  44. Eritrea (April 2006)
    6    optometrists, 4assistants, 1402 patients

  45. Panevėžys, Lithuania (May 2006)
    2    optometrist, 3assistants, 173 patients

  46. Bolivia(July 2006)
    1optometrist, 1assistant, 874 patients

  47. Tanzania (november 2006)
    2 optometrists, 4 assistants, 564 patients

  48. Ocotal, León, Nicaragua( December 2006) 
    4    optometrists,7 assistants,688 patients

  49. Kamusinde, Hekima, Sirisia, Bungoma, Kenya (January 2007)
    1 optometrist,    2 assistants, 473 patients

  50. Chile (January 2007)
    2 optometrists, 3     assistants    , 626 patients

  51. Perú (February 2007)
    4    optometrists, 8assistants, 2233 patients

  52. Panevėžys, Lithuania (March 2007)
    4    optometrist, 6assistants, 173 patients

  53. Bolivia(July 2007)
    2    optometrists, 2assistants, 1479 patients

  54. Kenya (October 2007)
    2 optometrists,    1 assistant, 1031 patients

  55. Uganda (October 2007)
    2 optometrists,    1 assistant, 462 patients

  56. Nicaragua( October 2007) 
    2    optometrists,4 assistants,742 patients

  57. Chile (January 2008)
    4 optometrists, 4     assistants    , 598 patients

  58. Perú (February 2008)
    3    optometrists, 4assistants, 2133 patients

  59. Lithuania (April 2008)
    5     optometrists, 5 assistants,  527 patients

  60. Guatemala(April 2008)
    2 optometrists, 2assistants, 822patients

  61. Nicaragua( July 2008) 
    1optometrist,1 assistant,1429 patients

  62. Tanzania (September 2008)
    2 optometrists, 3 assistants, 446 patients

  63. Zambia (October 2008)
    1 optometrist, 1 assistant, 520 patients

  64. Nicaragua (November 2008)
    1 optometrist, 2 assistants, 1952 patients

  65. Kenya (November 2008)
    1 optometrist, 2 assistants, 351 patients

Result... so far: 193 optometrists, 208 assistants, 54 174 patients! 
Our work has been valued to 8.126 100 USD !

What does VFA need?

We need:

  • Optometrists who can work intensively and free of charge a few weeks in a developing country.
  • Volunteers who can actively work collecting the necessary funds via sponsors etc. to finance VFA projects.
  • Help with seeking grants and other financial help. We also need assistance in writing articles before and after a trip to document VFA´s work.
     


Does VFA have any new projects?

We have been asked to return to Perú, Tanzania, Uganda, Guatemala and Nicaragua. We have been contacted by organizations in  Vietnam and El Salvador.

With great happiness we received the Optometrist Delegation from Sweden, and thanks to our request, they not only did eye check ups and distributed eyeglasses free of cost, but they also brought along the enormous love and solidarity from the honorable people of Sweden

-Gladys Báez Alvarez-
Member of FSLN´s National Directorate
(Managua, Nicaragua, July,96)

What more can one do?

It takes a lot of time and money to plan a successful project. Our greatest need is financial help. We also need to collect used eyeglasses. Invite VFA to your workplace, school, religious center, to show slides, videofilm, set up a photo exhibition etc. If you are interested in learning Spanish, purchase John J. Godoy´s Spanish grammar books: Una Sola Trinchera, Caramba 1andCaramba 2. 100% of the profits will go to support future VFA projects.

Undersokning

Si me ponen al costado
la ciega de nacimiento
le diré, bajo, bajito,
con la voz llena de polvo:
"Hermana, toma mis ojos".
 

If they lay me at her side
of the blind from birth
I shall tell her, quiet, quietly
with my voice full of dust
"Sister, take my eyes".

- Gabriela Mistral -
Chilean, 1889 - 1957
Nobel Prize in Literature, 1945
 

 

If you want more information.
Contact:
John J. Godoy
Kungsbrovägen 32 A
590 72 Ljungsbro, Sweden
( +46 (0)13 / 637 15

VISION FOR ALL
E-mail:john.godoy@visionforall.org

© John J. Godoy

This page has been modified 12 jun 2008 16:50
Webmaster: Tomas Håkansson, webmaster@visionforall.org