In
2002, my aunt, Winkie La Force, was preparing for a mission
trip to the rural region of Ghana, a village called Kubugu.
We sought to fill the cracks of her suitcase with items that
were easily acquirable in the states but would serve to be
invaluable for the villagers that she was serving. It was
the simple gift of reading glasses that had the most immediate
impact for these villagers because many of the inhabitants
had partial vision as a result of aging. For less than one
$1, a pair of reading glasses was able to restore the ability
to read or complete working tasks for these individuals. Inspired
by the direct impact of such a simple purchase, I began to
raise money and awareness for this optical need prior to each
of Winkie's subsequent trips to Africa. Since then she has
delivered glasses to rural areas of Uganda, slums of Nairobi
and other communities in Ghana. After deliveries to other
developing countries via other mission groups, Mission Vision
became incorporated as a non-profit, and in the summer of
2009, we received 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, which has
allowed for all donations to be tax-deductible.
With
the help of fellow Visionary, Quin Patton, I spent
the summer of 2009 in Central America delivering reading glasses
to medical centers and providing optical exams for the inhabitants
of these remote villages. Made possible by grants and scholarships
from Davidson College, this trip inspired our team to continue
the reading glasses mission. In that summer alone, Mission
Vision reading glasses were delivered to more than ten countries.
Following graduation in 2010, we spent two months travelling
South America to meet with the National Institutes of Ophtamologies
and to provide optical clinics, delivering more than 1,000
glasses.
In
June 2010, following a fundraiser with the support of F.C.
Barcelona, I had the opportunity to partner with Rotary International
to travel to Morocco to provide reading glasses. As we continue
to grow, we are seeking new partnerships and support to help
us reach more communities that wouldnt have access reading
glasses.
Mission
Vision is an entirely student-run organization and has now
spread to many other campuses outside of Davidson College.
We are passionate about making a difference for less fortunate
individuals everywhere, and for every dollar we collect one
pair of reading glasses will be purchased and delivered to
a needy recipient. Vision loss sees no borders, and Mission
Vision will remain dedicated to helping to restore vision
throughout the world.
David Warren
founder and director
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