This week is Volunteers’ Week and we’re celebrating 40 years of amazing contributions our volunteers make.
Each year our volunteers work extremely hard, contributing hours of their time, providing professional support to help strengthen eye care in the countries we work in.
Last year was no different, in 2023/24 our volunteers gave us an amazing 325 hours of remote volunteering, supporting our country programmes from the comfort of their home, and 93 days of overseas volunteering!
Our history of volunteering
In 1984, Michael Buerk’s iconic news broadcast brought global attention to a devastating famine in Ethiopia. This heart-wrenching report spurred the creation of the famous Live Aid charity concert and the hit song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. Inspired by this wave of humanitarian spirit, many individuals felt compelled to act and help those in need.
One of those inspired was Brian Ellis, who later became the founder of Vision Action, formerly known as Vision Aid Overseas. In 1985, Brian volunteered for an optometry project in Tanzania with Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH). Witnessing the dire need for eye care during this trip motivated him to establish Vision Aid Overseas, an organisation dedicated to supporting sustainable eye health in low- and middle-income countries.
Over the past four decades, Vision Action has celebrated the hard work, commitment, and successes of its volunteers. While the nature of volunteering has evolved since 1984, the passion and dedication of volunteering remain as strong as ever. Vision Action proudly acknowledges the invaluable contributions of its volunteers, both past and present, in their ongoing mission to improve global eye health.
Volunteers’ Week
Three of our volunteers are currently in Kumasi, Ghana, delivering our Training of Trainers for Low Vision course. Hosted by our partner, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), this initiative is made possible through the generous support of Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) and The Karen Sparrow Training & Education Fund.
The course, delivered through our volunteer programme, will provide eight optometry professionals with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to conduct Vision Action’s five-day Low Vision Foundation Course, which they will teach to 16 university students next week.
We spoke to our volunteers, and they told us what motivated them to volunteer to deliver the course and what benefits they anticipate the delegates will gain.
Peter Kemp, Learning & Development Specialist, said, “My volunteering gives me a sense of pride through my contribution to an important and timely assignment. The opportunity to witness individuals grow and develop, in ways that allow them to deliver positive impact to those living with low vision.
“The participants will establish a better understanding of Vision Action and the ways in which it works with others, to improve eye care and reduce the impact of poverty.”
Caroline Clark, Optometrist, said, “This as a chance to share knowledge and experience and to learn how to adapt to differences in culture, environment and resources. I hope that this course will enable the learners to feel confident about supporting members of their local communities who have a visual impairment.”
Jane Veys, retired Optometrist, said, “Our participants will leave with increased confidence and effectiveness in their ability to train others.
“Their knowledge and skills will continue to grow and be shared throughout Ghana more sustainably and low vision services will be developed for the benefit of those in need in the years to come.”
Judith Trigg, Vision Action’s Volunteer Programme Lead, said, “We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful group of professional volunteers. They are so knowledgeable and always willing to help, I’m grateful for everything they do and all their support. Thank you and we appreciate you.”