Unite For Sight

Unite For Sight is a nonprofit organization that "empowers communities worldwide to eliminate preventable blindness." The organization was founded in 2000 by social entrepreneur Jennifer Staple when she was a 19-year old college sophomore at Yale University. [Nicholas D. Kristof. " [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kristof.html?ref=opinion The Age of Ambition] " "The New York Times" 27 January 2008, received 20 August 2008.] Now Jennifer is 26, and Unite For Sight has provided eye care to 600,000 people worldwide. Since 2003, Unite For Sight trained more than 4,500 volunteers to Unite For Sight and provide services to patients worldwide. The organization has also coordinated and funded more than 16,655 surgeries in Africa and Asia. [" [http://www.uniteforsight.org/about-us/press-kit] " "Unite For Sight Press Kit" 20 February 2007, received 20 August 2008.] In 2007 the organization's work was recognized when Staple was awarded a Brick Award.

The organization provides a way to donate eyeglasses and sunglasses to people in Africa. More than 200 000 pairs of eyeglasses have been redistributed. [" [http://people.howstuffworks.com/do-something-brick-awards-winner-jennifer-staple.htm 2007 BRICK Award Winner: Jennifer Staple] " "HowStuffWorks" 20 February 2007, received 20 August 2008.]

Volunteers 18 years and older can participate in Unite For Sight's volunteer abroad opportunities. Students, educators, nurses, physician assistants, doctors, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and others, assist local eye doctors in Ghana, India, and Honduras, to provide eye care to patients living in extreme poverty. The outreach team provides eye exams, diagnosis, eyeglasses, and medications, and those requiring surgery are brought to the eye clinic for surgery by the local ophthalmologist. [" [http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad] " "Unite For Sight Volunteer Abroad" 20 February 2007, received 20 August 2008.]

The organization has received coverage in The New York Times, is featured weekly on CNN International, and has been featured in hundreds of other media outlets.

References

External links

* [http://www.uniteforsight.org/ Official webpage]