Michele de Vaal and Vision Aid Overseas

This week I would like to feature and introduce Michele de Vaal, an extraordinary person.

On October 23rd, 2008 Michele won an award for her work in Ethiopia. Michele works as an optician's assistant in the UK, and for the last ten years, she has volunteered with Vision Aid Overseas (http://www.vao.org.uk) to help people in Ethiopia to see better. How? by fitting them with eyeglasses. She also organizes VAO’s projects in Ethiopia.

This is Michele with a little girl that she just gave glasses/spectacles to. Photo courtesy of Michele de Vaal.

I emailed Ms. de Vaal asking for her permission to feature her this week on Poor Among Us.

Michele writes:

"Lots of people all over the world have no idea how others live and how they have to cope with just surviving the day. I would be honoured for you to feature me in your blog. There are actually a handful of optometrists in Ethiopia, but all working in the private sector. Latest figures are showing 80m people. But what is really exciting, VAO has been supporting a brand new optometry degree course in Ethiopia and the first 16 students graduated as optoms in September.

"I am going to Eth in a couple of weeks to finalise arrangements for a new optical workshop in Addis Ababa and training of optical technicians. VAO needs spex but we also need money!!"

The following nine-minute video explains a little bit of her volunteer work:.

I have a hard time watching that video without getting teary eyed.

For a BBC video showing Michele in action, click here.

What a beautiful video. That little girl has such a giant smile after receiving her pair of glasses. She is smiling and laughing because she can see. She is smiling because she wants to become a doctor, lawyer, or teacher one day, and now she can see the blackboard at school.

Did you know that there are only a handful of optomotrists in all of Ethiopia? Ethiopia, a country of 80 million men, women and children. I didn’t know.

The need for glasses is great throughout the world.

Some easy ways to give someone vision:

• Drop off old eyeglasses to a local organization
• Buy a second pair and donate the second pair
• Organize a used eyeglass drive.
• Call local hotels, stores police dept. mortuaries or your place of employment and ask if you can pick up unclaimed glasses from lost and found.
• Trick or Treat: send out flyers ahead of time and while trick or treating ask for used glasses.
• Join Michele by donating money or time to Vision Aid Overseas: http://www.vao.org.uk

A few places in the U.S. to drop off your glasses:

• Goodwill Industries stores
• LensCrafters stores
• Lions Club
• New Eyes for the Needy (549 Millburn Avenue, P.O. Box 332, Short Hills, NJ 07078)
• Call your local optomotrist for other locatations

Thank you Michele, you are truly an extroardinary person.
Nancy