Program Details and Requirements

The program details and requirements on this website are for standard participants (non-eye care professionals). If you are an eye care professional, review separate details by clicking here.

Global Impact Fellow Program Summary

Requirements

Application Process

Costs

Volunteering

Academic Credit For Students

More Information

What is a Global Impact Fellow?

All participants in Unite For Sight's international programs are Global Impact Fellows.

Where does Unite For Sight offer volunteer programs?

Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows participate at eye clinics in Ghana, Honduras, and India.

Is the Unite For Sight program a hands-on global health experience?

Yes, the program is a fully hands-on experience, and participants gain a comprehensive understanding about the complexities and realities of global health. While each program location varies slightly, the general program model remains identical. Fellows assist the eye clinic's staff in all aspects of the eye care programs. They take patient history, test visual acuity, observe the eye doctors providing exams and diagnosis, distribute medication and eyeglasses prescribed by the local eye doctors, provide eye health education in the villages and schools, and help with the coordination of patient surgeries. Fellows also have an opportunity to observe the surgeries provided at the eye clinic. The previously blind patients leave clinic after surgery with restored sight.

"I can honestly say that everything I learned in 3 years of medical school paled in comparison to the 3 week experience I had in Accra (Ghana) in October 2007 as part of Unite For Sight. The program provides volunteers with a unique and hands-on involvement - being able to help out to the level of your training and comfort. My experience taught me that Ghanaian people are the friendliest people I have interacted with anywhere in the world, that ordinary people involved with Unite For Sight are making extraordinary differences, and that sitting in a classroom receiving a world-class education cannot match real life experiences while volunteering."--Varun Verma, UMDNJ Medical Student, Unite For Sight Volunteer in Accra, Ghana

"The time I spent in Chennai, India as a Unite For Sight Volunteer was a magical experience. Our time with the Uma Eye Clinic gave us great insight to the vulnerable populations of Chennai and the realization that millions of others around India share the same situation. Working with school children and the elderly in isolated towns was like experiencing all my public health courses first hand. Instead of seeing a power point show of their lives, I was right there in their homes, eating traditional Southern Indian meals next to locals. I look back upon my short time in India and greatly want to return and have a career with vision care that will allow me to work with similar populations of people. ." --- David Murakami, MPH, Boston University School of Public Health, Unite For Sight Volunteer, Chennai, India

While non-eye care professionals assist local Ghanaian, Honduran, and Indian ophthalmic staff, volunteer optometrists and ophthalmologists apply their skills and training to provide eye care to the patients alongside the local eye doctors. Ophthalmologists also provide surgical care to the patients screened by Unite For Sight's programs.

What do Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows do?

Complete details about participation in each location can be seen in the Locations & Dates section of this website.

I am an optometrist or ophthalmologist. What will I do?

Volunteer optometrists and ophthalmologists apply their skills and training to provide eye care to the patients alongside the local eye doctors. Optometrists share knowledge and skills with local optometrists and ophthalmic nurses, while ophthalmologists provide surgical training and skills transfer to local ophthalmologists. Please review the Program Requirements & FAQS for Optometrists and Ophthalmologists.

Will I be able to work closely with the local community?

Yes, as a Global Impact Fellow, you will work daily with local ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and ophthalmologists at the partner eye clinics. You will accompany the local ophthalmic staff into the remote rural villages, slums, and refugee camps, to provide eye care for the communities living in extreme poverty. You will have a culturally immersive experience.

What are the Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow requirements?

Our priority is to ensure that Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows make a high impact difference while participating abroad. Our research, experience, and evaluation has enabled us to develop a highly successful pre-service training and orientation process that ensures that volunteers are fully prepared to contribute to the success of the Unite For Sight programs. The work of Global Impact Fellows is vitally important, and the result of their work is profound.

The Importance of Preparation: The Perspective of Two Alumni

"I am very impressed with how Unite For Sight prepares their volunteers and has such a good rapport with their organizations that they work with. I like how Unite For Sight is very professional and prepared to help you in every way possible. They thought of almost everything and anything that could affect you while on your trip and prepared you for every situation (through readings, online videos, and other training). In turn, this made for such a wonderful experience during my two weeks."--Nicholas Aurelio

"I loved how the Unite For Sight program guided you through the whole process of becoming a volunteer. I appreciated the deadlines, for it gave me solid timeline with which to work. On top of that, I was glad that there were readings on cultural competency, health care, the anatomy and physiology of the eye, and the numerous pathologies of the eye. Without all these required readings and videos, I would have gone in blind to Patna. However, because I was able to get a general understanding of what my stay in Patna would be like, what work was required of me, and how to interact with patients, I felt more at ease while I was actually volunteering. My favorite requirement was the one where I had to go and shadow an ophthalmologist. I learned so much more about the eye than I could have just from reading and watching videos. I was able to attain actual experience on how to establish a relationship with the patient and how to proceed in taking down a patient's history and visual acuity. Without the requirements, I would not have been as effective of a volunteer as I was because of all the knowledge I gained beforehand."

All of the Unite For Sight pre-service requirements can only be completed after a participant first applies for and is accepted to the Unite For Sight program.

Easy-To-Use Personal Volunteer Login Page: Unite For Sight provides an easy-to-use personal login page so that fellows can keep track of their pre-service progress and access all relevant program-specific details and materials, program manuals, phone numbers, important links, as well as email addresses of their fellow volunteers and email addresses of alumni participants.

  1. Global Impact Training: Fellows are trained in global health and global problem solving by Unite For Sight's pioneering training program, which includes Unite For Sight's Global Health Online Course, Cultural Competency Online Course, Volunteer Ethics and Professionalism Online Course, Social Entrepreneurship Online Course, Community Eye Health Online Course, and articles about The Importance of Sustainable Development in Eye Care,Effective Health Education, Rumors and Word of Mouth, Overview of Spending at the Base of the Pyramid, and Photography and Ethics.
  2. Program-Specific Videos: Global Impact Fellows complete a Program-Specific Training Course in which they watch short online videos and read articles about the program site where they will be volunteering. The videos include videotaped discussions with past participants talking about their experience and day-to-day activities abroad, as well as their personalized advice to future fellows.
  3. Shadowing With An Optometrist or Ophthalmologist: Global Impact Fellows (those who are not eye care professionals) complete a series of steps to learn standardized knowledge about eye disease, eye anatomy, and eye health. They begin by completing an Online Eye Health Course. Global Impact Fellows also must be trained by an eye doctor in their local community to learn about eye anatomy and eye health. The training session must include 2-3 days working with an optometrist or ophthalmologist, and volunteers are given a list of lessons that they should learn during the training. For example, what are cataracts, and how does surgery restore sight? What is the proper way for a patient to administer their eye medication? The knowledge that they learn while shadowing is important to enable Global Impact Fellows to support and assist the partner eye clinics in Ghana, Honduras, and India.

    How do I coordinate the shadowing? Global Impact Fellows coordinate their training with a local eye doctor in their own community, which can be done at either a private eye doctor's office, or at a university department of ophthalmology or optometry. Most all Global Impact Fellows are able to swiftly coordinate training with a local eye doctor of their own choosing. However, we also have a list of ophthalmologists and optometrists who have trained Global Impact Fellows during the past many years, and we can direct you to one of them as well.

    Special instructions for clinical students: Clinical medical students and optometry students who have already completed clinical rotations should be familiar with the training skills. Therefore, they do not need to re-complete the 2-3 day training program with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Instead, they may have their clinical instructor (an ophthalmologist or optometrist) sign the Unite For Sight Eye Training Certificate to confirm that the volunteer has already learned the skills required of all Unite For Sight volunteers during their clinical rotation.

  4. Insurance: It is important for anyone traveling abroad to have security, medical assistance, and medical expense reimbursement insurance coverage. All Global Impact Fellows are required to purchase security and medical assistance insurance, as well as medical expense reimbursement insurance, through International SOS.
  5. Passport, VISA, Vaccinations: Receive a Passport and VISA, and get vaccinations and a physical exam. All participants are required to receive all necessary vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis for travel in accordance with The Travelers' Health Report from the National Center of Infectious Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control
  6. Obtain/Receive Eyeglasses: Global Impact Fellows obtain at least 500 reading glasses or sunglasses for donation to the partner eye clinic in the destination country. Most volunteers order eyeglasses from an organization such as RestoringVision (U.S.-based volunteers), New Eyes For The Needy (U.S.-based volunteers), Lion's Club (Canada-based volunteers, U.S.-based volunteers, Australia-based volunteers, and others), or other similar organizations worldwide. These organizations will ship the supply of eyeglasses directly to the Global Impact Fellow by postal mail. The highest quailty eyeglasses come from RestoringVision, which receives overstocked glasses that would otherwise be discarded by eyeglass companies. The cost for the glasses varies by the supplier. Eyeglasses from the Lion's Club are usually shipped free of charge ($0), while RestoringVision charges a shipping cost of 25 cents per eyeglass, and New Eyes For The Needy charges a similar shipping cost. After receiving the reading glasses and sunglasses in the mail, Global Impact Fellows pack the collection into their suitcase to transport to the eye clinic abroad. These reading glasses and sunglasses are distributed to patients by the eye clinic where the volunteer participates. Upon acceptance to the Unite For Sight program, fellows receive detailed instructions and contact information for obtaining reading glasses and sunglasses.
  7. Fundraise (100% provides eye care to patients): All Global Impact Fellows raise at least $1600 for Unite For Sight's international eye care programs, except professionals (fully licensed, fully trained and practicing optometrists and ophthalmologists who provide skills transfer to local eye care professionals, as well as professional filmmakers and photographers), who fund raise at least $500 for the eye care programs. Fundraising is an essential part of a fellow's contribution to patients living in extreme poverty. 100% of the fundraising efforts by Unite For Sight's fellows provide poor patients with free eye care and sight-restoring surgeries. Each cataract surgery costs $50 on average, so every dollar that you fundraise makes a tremendous impact on the lives of children and adults. Additionally, your fundraising efforts help to create public awareness about global eye care needs. Your pre-departure fundraising therefore allows you to make a huge impact before you even go abroad.

    Easy-To-Use Personalized Fundraising Page: To help with fundraising efforts, Unite For Sight creates a personal donation fundraising page for all of its Global Impact Fellows and also provides a Fundraising Toolkit. Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows are very successful with their fundraising initiatives, and it requires very little of a volunteer's time since they only need to email their fundraising website link to friends and family. As their friends and family submit donations, Unite For Sight automatically records the donations and sends an email to the volunteer as each donation arrives. All donors also receive a receipt for tax purposes, and the donations are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by U.S. law. It usually takes no more than one month for a volunteer to reach the $1600 minimum fundraising amount, and some volunteers even reach the fundraising minimum within 1 week. If a volunteer falls short of the fundraising minimum, they may complete their fundraising requirement by submitting the balance from their personal funds. For example, if they are $100 short of the fundraising requirement, they would submit a personal donation of $100 so that they reach the $1600 minimum.

    Click To View Examples of Volunteer Fundraising Pages


    Fundraising Toolkit Video: How To Fundraise For Unite For Sight


 

"My Experience Fundraising," By Christine Yeung: Fundraising was a little daunting at first because I had never fundraised before. You should prioritize your list of donors based on how well you know the person and how much you think they can afford. The people who I found, as a student, were able to donate the most in descending order were nuclear family, close relatives, extended family, teachers, parents’ friends, and then my own friends. Another thing that definitely helped was having a pledge form handy with me so that wherever I went, I could give them out if it came up in conversation. I also took the opportunity to make a short 5 minute speech at my parents’ alumni gathering in Toronto. Another thing I found useful was to have an amount in mind that you wanted your donors to donate. It’s easy and polite to say “I’d be happy to accept anything you can afford,” but it generates much better results when you give people a suggested donation (and you should ask close friends and family to figure out what are reasonable amounts to suggest), because it gives them an idea of what to give, and also helps you to achieve your goal of reaching your fundraising target. So what I told my friends and relatives is that, “My goal is to raise $3,000 US for Unite For Sight. I’m asking people to donate about $50, but I’d be happy to accept anything you can give.” In the end, I raised $5,241 on my fundraising page - https://maestropay.com/go/uniteforsight/volunteers/ref/7ae1fa7ff02e4bbe897f635669d3700f

The Importance of Fundraising: "In the surgery room, people were prepped and operated on at amazing efficiency, as the surgery itself took but seven minutes. Seven miraculous minutes was all it took for people to get their sight back. A miracle not only for them, but an eye opener for me, for I had fundraised enough money for 57 of these people to have this chance to regain their sight, a chance they would not have had without the financial support of Unite For Sight. My experience in Ghana was nothing short of amazing. Not only did I get a hands-on experience in the medical field as an undergraduate, but I realized how preventable blindness can be in many developing countries; so preventable that I, a mere college student, could change 57 lives."--Jaci Theis, Bucknell College Student, Unite For Sight Volunteer in Ghana

What is the minimum and maximum amount of time that I can participate?

Global Impact Fellows can participate from seven days to multiple months, up to a full year or more. Most of the programs show available dates in 10-day increments. Global Impact Fellows can participate for 10 days, for example, or they can combine 10-day sessions. If a program has available dates of January 1-10; January 10-20; and January 20-30, a volunteer can select to combine three sessions and participate from January 1-30. Participating for longer periods will not change the pre-departure or participation requirements.

Who is eligible to be a Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow?

Global Impact Fellows are 18 years and older, and there is no upper age limit. Fellows range from undergraduate/college students to medical and optometry students, public health students and professionals, business students, filmmakers and photographers, nurses and nursing students, social workers, physician's assistants, teachers and educators, opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. Those between the ages of 15-17 may participate as a Global Impact Fellow if they participate with a parent who is also a Global Impact Fellow.

What if I don't have previous health experience?

Unite For Sight welcomes fellows who may have little or no previous health experience. All Global Impact Fellows, regardless of their previous level of health experience, will have hands-on involvement in global health delivery, and they help at the level of their individual level of training and comfort. We also welcome volunteers to participate as photographers and filmmakers.

How am I trained?

Those Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows who are not eye care professionals begin by completing Unite For Sight's Online Eye Health Course. Then, they are trained by an eye doctor in their local community to learn about common eye diseases so that they can best support and assist the local ophthalmic staff.

Preparation also includes training in the complexities of global health through required online coursework: Global Health Online Course, Cultural Competency Online Course, Volunteer Ethics and Professionalism Online Course, Social Entrepreneurship Online Course, Community Eye Health Online Course, and articles about The Importance of Sustainable Development in Eye Care and Photography and Ethics.

I am a medical student/optometry student, and I already completed basic training in eye care. Am I required to complete additional training for Unite For Sight?

Clinical medical students and optometry students who have already completed clinical rotations should be familiar with the training skills. Therefore, they do not need to re-complete the 2-3 day training program with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Instead, they may have their clinical instructor (an ophthalmologist or optometrist) sign the Unite For Sight Eye Training Certificate to confirm that the volunteer has learned the skills required of all Unite For Sight volunteers during their clinical rotation.

When should I apply? What is the application deadline?

There is not an application deadline. Unite For Sight accepts applications on a rolling application deadline, and qualified applicants are therefore accepted on a first-come, first served basis. Programs fill quickly, and we therefore suggest that you apply as soon as you decide that you would like to participate. You may apply more than a full year in advance, or you may apply a few months in advance. If there is still space available, you may apply less than one month in advance of a program, though this is not encouraged since all programs may be filled, and you would have little time to prepare. Those who apply early can lock in their first choice program location and program dates before programs start becoming filled. Our website shows the programs that are currently available and accepting applications, and filled programs are crossed off on the Locations & Dates list as soon as they become unavailable.

How do I apply?

You should submit an application at http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad/apply

Do I need recommendations?

Yes, recommendations are an important part of the application process. You must list at least two (2) professional references. You may list more than two, and we will review your application on the basis of the first two recommendation letters that we receive from your recommenders. Acceptable professional references include college instructors, academic advisers, former or current employers, work supervisors, and volunteer supervisors. Personal references (friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, clergymen, fellow students, and student leaders of a student organization) are not acceptable references, will be disregarded, and will result in automatic rejection of the application. College students should not submit a letter from a high school teacher or from a supervisor during high school.

How competitive is the application process?

The first qualified applicants are accepted, so we advise applying as soon as you decide that you would like to participate. We accept those with quality applications and strong letters of recommendation that indicate that the applicant will be a dedicated and motivated Global Impact Fellow. Be sure to be thoughtful and honest in your application essay responses. Writing the essays is also a great opportunity to learn more about Unite For Sight and to think about your own interests and ideas about providing quality health care in the developing world.

Accepted Global Impact Fellows demonstrate the following characteristics:

How do I know which program locations and dates are still available?

Our website shows all of the programs that are currently available and accepting applications, and filled programs are removed from Locations & Dates as they become unavailable.

My friends and I would like to participate together in the Unite For Sight program. Can we apply together, or should we submit separate applications?

Each applicant for a Unite For Sight program is required to submit their own application. Those applying to participate together should indicate identical program dates and locations on their applications, and they can also include on their application the name(s) of the others in their group. Subject to availability and everyone's individual acceptance into the program, you and your friends would be placed together.

Can I bring my son or daughter? Can families participate together?

We can sometimes make special arrangements for an adult parent to bring a son or daughter who is at least 15 years old. Both the adult parent and the child are required to submit separate applications and are required to be individually accepted to the program. The family members can be placed together in the same program. All participants are also required to complete the pre-departure requirements and participate fully in the Unite For Sight program.

I am retired. Am I eligible to participate?

Yes, we recognize and value the knowledge and skills offered by volunteers who are retired and very much welcome and encourage their participation.

What are the living and lodging costs involved?

Please check the individual programs in the Locations & Dates section of the website for the exact living and lodging expenses that you will incur while abroad. Volunteers pay for their own airfare, travel, VISA, immunizations, insurance, and living expenses. Unite For Sight does not have a program fee, and no funds for travel, lodging, or living expenses are paid directly to Unite For Sight.

Does Unite For Sight have an administrative "program fee"?

No. Unite For Sight does not have an administrative program fee. Unite For Sight operates in a very cost-effective manner so that the organization does not need to pass along typical administrative and volunteer coordination expenses to its volunteers. After completing the Unite For Sight program, Global Impact Fellows will have submitted no personal funds to Unite For Sight, unless they choose to personally donate.

Does Unite For Sight charge tuition?

No. Unite For Sight provides our Global Impact Fellows with a highly educational experience that includes hands-on training in global health. Our Global Impact Training e-learning courses are freely available, and there is no tuition charge for any component of Unite For Sight's programs.

What is the cost of airfare?

Airfare varies based on your starting location, destination location, and the time of year. You can determine the flight cost by going to a travel website such as FlyForGood, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, FlyCheapAbroad or by going directly to the websites of airlines. Volunteers participating in Ghana fly into Accra (ACC). Those participating in New Delhi will fly into the New Delhi airport, while those participating in Chennai will fly into the Chennai airport. Volunteers participating in Bihar and Orissa first fly into the New Delhi international airport before taking a connecting flight to a local airport.

How do I fund my travel?

Unite For Sight suggests that students are funded through university fellowships. You can learn about fellowship options by contacting your international fellowship office, advisors, or university departments. Many universities have fellowship opportunities so that their students can participate abroad.

Yale University, Mount Holyoke College, Princeton University, and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have special fully-funded fellowships available specifically for Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows who are students at Yale, Mount Holyoke, Princeton University, and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Additionally, many medical schools offer funding to their students if they participate in the Unite For Sight program as a clinical rotation/medical elective.

Other options for students and non-students include sponsorship by businesses, organizations, or family members.

What is the cost of the required International SOS medical assistance, security coverage insurance, and medical expense reimbursement coverage?

The medical assistance and security coverage insurance price varies based on the volunteer's length of time abroad. For example, a 10-day period of security insurance coverage costs $84, and a 1-month period of insurance coverage costs $189. The medical expense reimbursement (health insurance coverage) also varies by the number of days abroad. Coverage for up to 10 days is an additional $29, while coverage for up to 31 days is an additional $53. Therefore, for a volunteer participating for 10 days, the cost would be $84 for medical assistance and security coverage and an additional $29 for health insurance coverage.

After being accepted to a Unite For Sight program, how do I confirm my intent to participate?

Upon acceptance to the program, Global Impact Fellows are required to submit a reimbursable deposit to confirm their commitment and to hold their place in the program. The deposit is fully reimbursed after a Global Impact Fellow successfully completes the Unite For Sight program. Therefore, after completing the Unite For Sight program, volunteers will have submitted no personal funds to Unite For Sight, unless they choose to personally donate. The reimbursable deposit insures that all confirmed fellows will follow through with their commitment to Unite For Sight by participating in the program as planned, and that they will complete their pre-departure requirements.

What are the benefits of volunteering?

Unite For Sight provides an amazing opportunity to make a significant, meaningful, tangible impact in the lives of children and adults worldwide. You will immediately see the joys on people's faces when their sight is restored by surgery after years of blindness. You will see children who are thrilled to receive their first pair of eyeglasses, and you will see elderly adults truly grateful for reading glasses so that they can read and sew. These memories will last a lifetime.

You will be engaged in local programs that reduce barriers to health care, including financial, transportation, and education barriers. All patients with operable conditions are brought to the partner eye clinic for surgery, which is funded by Unite For Sight.

In addition to helping the community, you will also be in a position to witness and draw your own conclusions about the failures and inequities of global health systems. It will broaden your view of what works, and what role you can have to insure a health system that works for everyone and that leaves no person blind in the future. We believe that anyone can become part of a global solution.

You will also have the opportunity to live in another culture and develop leadership and career skills. Unite For Sight provides a Global Health & Program Delivery Certificate to all participants and also awards dedicated, motivated, skilled fellows with special awards.

What is high impact entrepreneurial volunteering?

Unite For Sight motivates and encourages its Global Impact Fellows to be proactive and entrepreneurial, which enables them to make real, lasting change. Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows are deeply involved and invested in being part of a high impact solution to preventable eye disease. While the Global Impact Fellows are involved in outreach programs that provide eye care to thousands globally every day, they also develop their own projects and research studies that dovetail with Unite For Sight's outreach programs. The diverse talents, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows help to develop and hone new approaches to the urgent preventable and curable eye care problems that afflict more than 36 million people worldwide.

While all Global Impact Fellows do not develop and implement their own entrepreneurial ideas while volunteering with Unite For Sight, every fellow is engaged in Unite For Sight's commitment to create real change. All Global Impact Fellows provide support and assistance to local ophthalmologists and eye clinics in developing countries, fundraise to restore sight to blind patients living in extreme poverty, transport eyeglasses and medical supplies to eye clinics, and raise awareness in their home communities about the urgent problem of preventable blindness.

You can read about examples of Unite For Sight's entrepreneurial volunteers at http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad/entrepreneurial-volunteering/training

How many other Global Impact Fellows will be in my program?

The number of volunteers in each program varies based on program location and program dates. The maximum number of fellows at a particular site for any time period ranges from 2 volunteers to 20 fellows, and the maximum number of volunteers selected depends on the eye clinic's request and needs. Fellows have access to the names and email addresses of the others participating with them at their program location and during their program dates.

Can I see videos of Unite For Sight programs?

Yes, we have many online video presentations, ranging from films produced in Ghana and India to online lecture presentations by Unite For Sight's partner ophthalmologists and eye clinic staff. We also have many online presentations by previous Unite For Sight volunteers. Videos for each program site can be seen in the Locations & Dates section of the website. Click on a program location (i.e. "Accra and Kumasi Region Program", or "Patna, Bihar"), and scroll down on the page to see a variety of videos and films for the program location.

Those who would like to volunteer in Ghana are urged to view a film about the impact of Unite For Sight's programs in Ghana

All applicants are required to view a 20-minute Question & Answer session by Unite For Sight's Ghanaian and Indian ophthalmologist partners

What do the medical and university communities say about Unite For Sight volunteer experiences?

What is a typical day like?

Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows typically work 8 hours/day for 5-6 days/week. Global Impact Fellows relax on days off, and many participate in cultural events and spend a lot of time getting to know the people in the community where they are working.

I'm a filmmaker, photographer, or student of film/photography. What can I do to help?

Unite For Sight filmmaker and photographer volunteers document the voices of patients who receive sight-restoring eye care through Unite For Sight programs. The videos and photos promote awareness and information about global eye care needs and also demonstrate the commitment and dedication of Unite For Sight's local partner eye doctors who work tirelessly to provide eye care to those living in extreme poverty.

Volunteers work with Unite For Sight to develop special film and photo projects for advocacy purposes. The opportunity allows students, filmmakers, and photographers an opportunity to learn about development issues while making a significant impact.

Those who apply and are accepted as film/photographer volunteers would participate exclusively as photographers or filmmakers. If a photographer or filmmaker is also interested in participating as standard volunteers, they should apply and be accepted as a "Standard Volunteer" so that they can participate in all aspects of the Unite For Sight programs, including as filmmakers or photographers. To participate as a "Standard Volunteer", the filmmaker or photographer volunteer does not need any previous health experience. After acceptance, the volunteer would pursue the standard pre-departure training required of all standard volunteers, which includes an online eye health course and 2-3 days of shadowing/training by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If participating solely as a photographer or filmmaker volunteer, the eye training is not required.

I am not from the US. Am I eligible to participate?

Yes, Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows come from countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, England, Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, Norway, Israel, Singapore, South Africa, Japan, India, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and Australia. We welcome people from any country to apply.

I am planning a Gap Year. Can I participate?

Yes! Unite For Sight welcomes students between high school and college to participate in the Unite For Sight programs for short- or long- term placements. The programs in Chennai (India), Bihar (India), and Accra and Kumasi Region (Ghana) are especially suitable for Gap Year participants.

Where will I stay?

Unite For Sight's eye clinic partners arrange for the volunteer accommodations in hospital dormitories, guest houses, or local hotels. One of Unite For Sight's programs involve lodging with a family of physicians from the eye clinic. Please read the program site details to learn about the lodging location for your desired internship. Volunteers are required to lodge in the Program Site accommodations.

Will I have access to a phone while abroad?

Yes. Unite For Sight provides a cell phone to each volunteer. Free minutes are provided to volunteers for use in case of an emergency. Volunteers may also purchase extra minutes if they would like to use the cell phone for personal purposes.

Will I be picked up from the airport?

Yes. Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics and coordinators arrange for each participant's pickup from the airport.

Will everyone speak English?

The doctors and Unite For Sight coordinators will all be fluent in English. In Ghana, the official language is English. In India, the middle and upper class population receive all of their schooling in English. However, those in rural villages with little access to education and health care will usually speak only local languages. If you do not have knowledge of the local language, the doctors, coordinators, or translators will assist you with communication.

As Pradeep Mettu, Unite For Sight Volunteer in Chennai, India, wrote about his experience: "The language barrier ultimately made the experience even more meaningful. Since communication was always an issue, I learned a great deal about the human touch and the intangibles that create a universal language between the health care provider and the patient."

Will I need a Visa?

Depending on your country of citizenship, you will most likely need a Visa in order to enter Ghana and India. Volunteers from the U.S. and Canada, for example, will need a Visa. Obtaining a Visa involves a basic paper application process to the Ghanaian or Indian Embassy in the volunteer's home country. The Visa is stamped onto the volunteer's Passport by the Ghanaian or Indian Embassy.

Can I communicate with the eye clinic before I begin my program?

Yes! In fact, all accepted participants are required to introduce themselves by email to the eye clinic where they will be volunteering. The eye clinic coordinators and ophthalmologists respond to each volunteer's introductory email, and the clinic and volunteer continue to be in contact with each other prior to the Global Impact Fellow's travel abroad.

Will I be safe?

Unite For Sight's Global Impact Corps program has an impeccable safety record, and the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. Our Global Impact Fellows are locally led and managed by our eye clinic partners, and they work daily with the local ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and ophthalmologists who are committed and attentive to the safety of the Global Impact Fellows. Unite For Sight has a very close, long-term working relationship with each of our eye clinic partners. Additionally, Global Impact Fellows participate only in countries and locations that are considered safe and stable by the U.S. State Department.

Upon arriving abroad, the Global Impact Fellows are picked up from the airport by the eye clinic and driven to the program lodging site. All Global Impact Fellows are required to lodge at the designated program lodging site, which is a local hotel or guest house.

In addition to the ground support that is provided by the local eye care professionals, we also require all volunteers to purchase International SOS security and medical assistance coverage. If there were to be any unexpected situation requiring professional security or travel medicine assistance, Global Impact Fellows have professional assistance immediately available by International SOS. Each Global Impact Fellow receives a Unite For Sight local cell phone upon arriving abroad, and this cell phone can be used to reach International SOS at any time. Fellows also often use their Unite For Sight cell phone to stay connected with their family at home.

Unite For Sight has an emergency protocol system in place to ensure a quick response to any emergency situation. The eye clinic, Global Impact Fellows, and their families may contact Unite For Sight's headquarters at any time.

We also require Global Impact Fellows to prepare for and ensure their personal safety while abroad. The required pre-departure safety training includes a review of the U.S. State Department's Preparing To Travel Abroad, CDC Traveler's Health, and World Health Organization's H1N1 (Swine Flu) Preparation.

Additionally, Global Impact Fellows are required to register their travel with their home country. For example, U.S. citizens are required to register with the U.S. Department of State, Canadian citizens are required to register with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, U.K. citizens are required to register with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Irish citizens are required to register with Department of Foreign Affairs, Australian citizens are required to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand citizens are required to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and citizens of other countries are required to register with their country's comparable department.

In addition to hands-on service and clinical opportunities while abroad, what other educational experiences are afforded to Global Impact Fellows?

Global Impact Fellows begin by completing Global Impact Training as well as eye health training. Prior to their travel abroad, Global Impact Fellows have therefore already learned extensive knowledge about international eye care and service, and they are well prepared to make a significant impact with the eye clinic abroad.

Upon arriving abroad, Global Impact Fellows receive orientation from the eye clinic and learn more about eye diseases that are endemic to the program location. They then proceed to work 5-6 days per week with the partner eye clinic to provide eye care for those living in extreme poverty. They are immersed in effective public health programs and learn first hand about best practices in global health.

I will be applying for medical school while I'm abroad with the Unite For Sight program. Will I have internet access so that I can submit my applications online?

Yes, many Global Impact Fellows work on their medical school applications during evenings and weekends while participating in the Unite For Sight program. The locations with the best internet access are Chennai, New Delhi, Bihar, and Accra, with Chennai having the best and most reliable internet access on a daily basis. You can access the internet from all other program sites as well, but the internet is simply not as reliable or accessible on a daily basis.

Can I receive academic credit?

Yes, Unite For Sight will complete student performance evaluations required by a university so that a student can receive academic credit. We can also provide a letter for the university that confirms a student's planned participation in the Unite For Sight program, as well as details regarding the student's pre-departure online global health coursework and global health field participation. Please read about coordinating academic credit on the website http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad/academic-credit

Can I pursue the Unite For Sight program as a medical elective/clinical rotation?

Yes. Each year, many medical students pursue a Unite For Sight program as a medical elective.

Can I pursue the Unite For Sight program as a public health school practicum?

Yes. We often have MPH students pursue the Unite For Sight program in order to fulfill their practicum/field experience requirement.

Can I do research as a Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow?

Yes. Undergraduate students, medical students, public health students, and other graduate students are especially encouraged to pursue research projects. Pursuing a research project requires a student to have a faculty mentor at their home university, and IRB approval is also required. Those interested in research are urged to review the Global Impact Lab section of our website.

Global Impact Fellows interested in pursuing a research project should first apply for the Unite For Sight program and be accepted as a Unite For Sight volunteer. You will then work with your faculty mentor at your university and with Unite For Sight to develop your research project. In your application to the Unite For Sight program, please discuss your preliminary interest in pursuing a research project.

Global Impact Fellows pursuing research studies are required to complete Unite For Sight's International Research Online Course and Research Methodology Online Course. Both courses prepare students for the critical ethical and methodological issues involved with research in the developing world.

I'm a student at Yale University. What is the Yale UCS/Unite For Sight internship?

Unite For Sight welcomes volunteers from all countries and universities worldwide. Yale Undergraduate Career Services has a special program that works annually to support Yale undergraduate students in their volunteer programs with Unite For Sight. If you are a Yale student and would like to qualify for the UCS Unite For Sight-Yale internship, Yale requires that you volunteer for at least 8 weeks during the summer. The UCS internship may make you eligible for Yale's ISA funding. If you are a Yale student and prefer not to volunteer for 8 weeks, you can apply to be a standard Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow for 7 days or more.

Can I pursue the Unite For Sight program as part of my ophthalmology residency program?

Yes! We have many ophthalmology residents who participate as standard Global Impact Fellows and pursue the Unite For Sight programs in order to gain exposure to providing eye care to patients living in extreme poverty. Ophthalmology residents have an opportunity in Bihar and in Chennai, India, to receive surgical training in SICS and Phaco. They also work with local eye doctors in Bihar and Chennai to provide on-site exams, diagnosis, medication, and eyeglasses for patients in villages. Ophthalmology residents may also participate in the Ghana programs, where they work in the rural villages with local eye doctors to provide diagnosis and treatment. Surgical training programs are not provided at Unite For Sight's Ghana eye clinic partners, and ophthalmology residents are therefore only able to perform surgery on patients through the established surgical training programs in Bihar, India, or in Chennai, India. You may review complete details online at http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad/ophthalmology-residents

Where can I learn about the magnitude of eye care needs in developing countries?

Unite For Sight compiled statistics about eye care needs, which you can see at http://uniteforsight.org/eye_stats.php By participating in Unite For Sight's programs, you will be able to see the reality of these numbers.

Who should I contact if I have other questions?

Send an email to Laura Reynolds at lreynolds@uniteforsight.org.

Volunteer Abroad