Reading Glass Campaign – A Great Success

With the help of our wonderful volunteers, we carried out a reading glass campaign in Ecuador to distribute reading glasses to members of the community. Since 1996, Global Volunteers has partnered with the local organization FUNDAC (the Spanish acronym for Foundation of Ladies of Calderón) in Calderón, Quito. Quito is the capital of Ecuador, nestled high in the Andes at 9, 200 feet. Calderón is the northeastern-most part of the city and is characterized by its cultural and ethnic diversity. Many people from northern provinces migrating to the city in search of work settle in Calderón, which has a population of 280, 000.

Global Volunteers partnered with Restoring Vision to conduct this reading glass campaign. In just eight afternoons of offering this service to the public in Calderón, 242 reading glasses were distributed. Working with the daycare center staff, volunteers helped community members find their correct prescription. People were thrilled to be able to access reading glasses – many for the first times in their lives. Many people commented that now they would be able to do important tasks such as read, thread needles, and help their children or grandchildren with their schoolwork. We also served people who were not able to read, but still greatly benefited from receiving reading glasses.

Bluma, a volunteer on this project, says of this experience: “I enjoyed doing this eye testing very much because I had contact with the people in the community who were all so nice and appreciative, and I got to practice my Spanish a little. I really enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of the people who could once again read without difficulty.”