Since fourth grade, Pedro has been living in a foggy, undistinguishable world because of poor eyesight. His eyesight was so bad that his mother had to read his homework to him. He knew that glasses could rectify his problem, but sadly his family was never able to afford them. Today, now at 16 years old, he wakes up early with hope because he heard that a nonprofit group called International Relief Teams would be checking vision and providing free eyeglasses in a nearby small, remote town in Central Guatemala, San Agustin.
When the team gave Pedro his first pair of glasses, he could see clearly for the first time in about eight years! With a grin Pedro says, “All my friends will tease me and call me Harry Potter.”
The residents of San Agustin and its neighboring towns suffer needlessly from poor eyesight and have no access to eye care. Because they are poor, the cost to travel to the capital city, paying to see a specialist and buying glasses is out of reach for most living in San Agustin and many communities like it throughout the country. Many people are forced to drop out of school or lose their jobs because they cannot function independently. In essence, their eyesight becomes a major burden on the family.
A man has his eyes checked by an IRT volunteer.
Over five days, IRT’s team of volunteers helped many people like Pedro. The team screened over 600 people and distributed 720 pairs of reading and distance vision glasses, as well as 332 sunglasses.
Because of your support, Pedro is thrilled he will be able to do his homework on his own, cook and read his beloved horror books and pursue his dream of one day opening his own restaurant.
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Pedro is excited he will be able to complete his own homework now that he has his first pair of eyeglasses.
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