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WELCOME TO VOSH/INTERNATIONAL
In 2001 VOSH/International, along with several other organizations, pledged to support the World Health Organization project VISION 2020, a campaign to eliminate preventative blindness by the year 2020.
While surgery and ocular disease prevention are obvious parts of this endeavor, refractive blindness is also included in their definition. Refractive blindness is the inability to function well in daily activities due to a lack of corrective lenses. A pair of glasses for near may allow a person to see to sew or paint, thus providing support for a family. They may allow a child to see print in a book or a board in a classroom, enabling him/her to get an education.
The need for all of these services is overwhelming. In addition to our traditional mission programs, we are also helping to establish permanent clinics. Working together with locals allows opportunity to furnish additional training. Improved health care education and better equipment results in better local provision of eye care.
Communication and cooperation are very important to meeting these challenges. In the last few years, the era of e-mail and internet access has allowed VOSH leaders to more quickly and reliably communicate throughout the world. VOSH leaders, NGO's, world-wide service groups, and independent volunteers can share the challenges and solutions faced in meeting a common goal.
I hope you will spend some time exploring the website pages and learning about who we are and what we are doing. Then I would like to personally invite you to join our efforts. Volunteering to improve eye care to the needy does not mean you have to spend a week in the jungle without electricity or running water. We have many levels of opportunity, starting with donating a pair of eyeglasses. Let us know your interests, skills, or resources and we will find a way to incorporate you into the team.
Larry Hookway
President, VOSH/International
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