What Global Impact Fellows Say

While abroad, Unite For Sight's Global Impact Fellows are immersed in effective global health programs. Their extensive pre-departure training accelerates their impact, engagement, and competency when they are abroad. They learn first-hand about best practices in public health, international development, cultural competency, and cross-cultural communication. The Unite For Sight experience develops a Fellow's passion and perspective while enhancing their potential in many career fields across all sectors, including medicine, public health, social entrepreneurship, social sciences, and international development. 99% of alumni say that participating with Unite For Sight impacted their interest in global health and international development, and 97% report that participating in the program enhanced their ideas and interest in social entrepreneurship and contributing to widespread social change.

Videos and Films

You may see a variety of videos and films for each program site in the Locations & Dates section of our website. Click on the program name (i.e. "Accra and Kumasi Region, Ghana"), and scroll down to the video section for the location. For example, you will see many videos produced by Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows, including:

Narratives

"Unite For Sight’s voluntary program is not one that glosses over the veracity and urgency of global health and gives volunteers a false idea of how working in developing countries is like. It is not a program for students who simply look to enjoy the company of cute little kids while earning an outstanding recommendation on their resume. Unite For Sight’s international voluntary program is one that allows passionate young adults to see the reality of international development, and to open their minds to the possibility of serving the underprivileged while providing them the opportunity to support quality eye care in areas that need their contributions."--Sueyan Yuen, Global Impact Fellow in Accra and Kumasi Region, Ghana. Read Sueyan's complete narrative at "Volunteering in Ghana: Hands-On Realities to International Development"

"The unparalleled experience with Unite for Sight in Ghana provided me with a deeper understanding of how medicine and public health are inextricably linked. I hope to incorporate the tools and knowledge I garnered through this volunteer opportunity as a future healthcare provider." --Taygan Yilmaz, MPH, Global Impact Fellow in Accra and Kumasi Region, Ghana. Read a published journal article by Taygan: "Unite For Sight" in Eye News.

"It was a regular day during a semester filled with biochemistry and other assorted sciences when I sat down at my computer to check my email. My flooded inbox contained many items that I expected to find from professors and friends of mine. There was one message, however, that really grabbed my attention. The Schreyer Honors College was informing their students of an organization called Unite For Sight that battles blindness around the world by partnering with local eye clinics to provide socially responsible global health to some of the world’s poorest countries. At the time, I had no idea that this simple email would change my plans for the summer and, ultimately, the way I view medicine...If you’re planning on working with Unite For Sight, be ready for a little bit of magic to happen. An open mind, some hard work, and the ability to be flexible really can enable you to help make a difference in the world, one set of eyes at a time."--Erik Auker, Global Impact Fellow in Ghana. Read Erik's complete narrative at "My Experiences as a Global Impact Fellow in Tamale, Ghana"

"My trip to Honduras was a great learning experience and it will be one I will never forget. Before I went, I had a solid interest in Spanish, but never was able to really put my Spanish speaking to the test outside of classrooms and textbooks. In Honduras, I spoke as much Spanish as possible while interacting with the local community and was able to enjoy and appreciate the culture so much more because of it. When I returned to the United States, I kept on speaking Spanish, even at times when I didn’t mean to, because it was subconsciously burned into the back of my mind. Someday in the future, I want to return to Honduras as a doctor and work with local clinics. This experience is one I will always hold on to and I know that it will help me greatly in my future as a doctor." --Aron Gedansky, Global Impact Fellow in Honduras. Read Aron's complete narrative at "My Experiences as a Global Impact Fellow in Honduras"

"With my strong interest in the operation and functioning of clinics abroad, my experience with Unite For Sight has been remarkable.  Unite For Sight works very efficiently and effectively at extending eye care to multitudes of patients each week, and serves as a model for other nonprofit organizations by incorporating both idealistic and practical methods to ensure the greatest success – defined by the number of patients seen, the number of surgeries performed, the number of people whose lives have been changed by restoring their vision." --Julia Goldberg, Global Impact Fellow in Ghana. Read Julia's complete narrative at "My Experiences as a Global Impact Fellow in Accra, Ghana"

"In addition to gaining experience delivering care through an NGO, Unite For Sight’s collaboration with the Ghana Health Services allowed for an even more significant learning experience.  From discussions with Ghanaian ophthalmologist Dr. Wanye, I learned about Ghana’s nationalized health care, how the government health care system pays medical personnel, and the role of public and private care. Through my Unite For Sight internship in Ghana, these additional opportunities to learn about health care fostered a greater foundation for me as I pursue a career in global health, one in which I will both see patients and work to improve systems of health care delivery in local communities.  Having finished my summer internship with Unite For Sight, I am only more curious about variations in cultural understandings of sickness and variations in health care delivery globally.  I have gained more confidence in the pursuit of my career goals, and I look forward to future medical work experiences abroad." --Nicole Penwill, Global Impact Fellow in Ghana. Read Nicole's complete narrative at "My Experiences as a Global Impact Fellow in Tamale, Ghana"

"My trip to India with Unite For Sight was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Witnessing the desperate need of some of the world's poorest citizens ignited my passion for international humanitarian work that I have continued since that trip.  Without Unite For Sight, I would not have discovered my love of medicine and infectious disease prevention, the fields I will be working in after graduation in June."--Leigha Winters, Global Impact Fellow in Patna, India

"There were so many things that we did and saw here that opened my eyes to the plight of healthcare access. The Kalinga Eye Hospital and Research Center (KEHRC) is a novel and admirable hospital that truly gives the word altruism meaning. The hospital runs rural eye camps where the paramedic staff and physicians go to the most remote and underdeveloped areas of Orissa and give free eye care...There are no words to describe how it feels to see the first patient go through the process and have his or her sight restored. Yet, that indescribable feeling still remains with me even as I write this. It goes without saying that we are eternally grateful to the KEHRC and Unite for Sight for giving us such a wonderful opportunity."--Komal Patel, Global Impact Fellow in Dhenkanal, India. Read Komal's narrative "Power of Visionary Work"

"I could not have begun trying to construct social entrepreneurial ventures without the foundation provided by UFS's global health conference, the extensive pre-departure volunteer training, and the actual on-the-ground experience I gained while abroad on the UFS program. This is why I whole-heartedly recommend the UFS program to anyone interested in global health and international development, public health policy, medicine, social entrepreneurship, nonprofits, human rights, development economics, anthropology, advocacy, or public service."--Celia Gellman, Global Impact Fellow in Tamale, Ghana. Read Celia's "Reflections on Entrepreneurial Volunteering in West African Villages"

"At Stanford University, I had studied a great deal about inadequate access to healthcare and the health disparities still existing in the world today; however, such issues did not become real for me until I witnessed the debilitating effects of such problems first-hand in Ghana. My Unite For Sight internship opened my eyes to the work that remains to be done in developing countries, and showed me the importance of establishing sustainable projects that empower individuals to help their local communities long after the volunteers are gone. Since my time in Tamale with Dr. Wanye, I have gone on other global service trips, and I know that international health is the area in which my passion for medicine lies. After attending medical school, I hope to continue serving abroad and help to establish training facilities that will assist communities world-wide, just as Unite For Sight has done."--Joyce Ho, Global Impact Fellow in Tamale, Ghana. Read Joyce's "My Experience Volunteering in Tamale, Ghana"

"Being in Chennai really opened up my eyes to the desperate conditions of the underserved living in poorer villages and districts.  Yet, through Unite for Sight, we were able to effectively diminish some of the burdens of the poor by providing them with the invaluable gift of sight. Experiencing the joy of someone whose vision had been restored to them will forever remain a part of me, along with the knowledge that we had truly made a difference."--Ravin Bastiampillai, Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

"In contrast to studying public health in an academic setting, Unite for Sight allowed me to gain perspective on the way that public health is actually done in the field.  As a result, I became so interested in community health that I went on to work for the Pan American Health Organization on a children's environmental health project at the U.S./Mexico border.  I am interested in combining my interests in global health with my background as a scientist in my future work to better understand health disparities and strategies to help communities that most need it.  I'm an undergraduate in the chemistry department at Princeton. I plan on applying to either MD or MD/PhD programs after Princeton."--Atrish Bagchi, Global Impact Fellow in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana

"I would recommend working with Unite for Sight for anyone, even if you are not in ophthalmology/optometry, or medicine for that matter. It is really rewarding to have such an impact on people."--Justin Rome, Global Impact Fellow in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Read Justin's Blog

"Unite For Sight gave me the wonderful opportunity to volunteer in Bihar, India with the Sinha family of ophthalmologists whose energy and enthusiasm was highly contagious. Along with Unite For Sight, the Sinhas have ignited my interest in public health and enthusiasm to take an active role in my community. I hope that sharing my positive experiences with my community will raise awareness about the need for vision services in developing countries and inspire others to become leaders in global change as well." -- Jasdeep Manik, Global Impact Fellow in Patna, India

"In addition to the medical aspect, I experienced enormous personal growth. Distributing glasses and watching a patient regain sight let me interact personally with the patient. I was able to form friendships with other volunteers and work with them toward the same goal. Learning about the Indian culture and way of life gave me a different perspective on how to view the world. It helped me realize how blessed I am to have my needs, including healthcare, met. I whole-heartedly recommend this volunteer experience to both students in the medical field and those interested in making a difference to the less fortunate abroad."--Abrahim Bagheri, Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India. Read Abrahim's narrative "First Person: Unite For Sight"

"My experience in Patna was an incredible experience. I enjoyed being part of the UFS program in the effort to help eradicate preventable blindness in the world. I also enjoyed working with and learning from the Sinha family, as they were incredible doctors and great teachers. I also enjoyed being immersed in Indian culture and look forward to returning to India to assist with visual care in the future."--Patrick Leneghan, Global Impact Fellow in Patna, Bihar. Read Patrick's "Daily Diary"

Volunteer Abroad