Frequently Asked Program Questions
This webpage provides you with quick answers to some frequently asked questions. Please review the "Program Details To Remember" and "Volunteer-Written Volunteer Manual" in your volunteer login page for much more comprehensive information.
Please select your program location:
Accra and Kumasi Region Program
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames. Be sure to review the Program Details To Remember in your volunteer login page, as much more detailed and important information is included.
How do I get from the airport to the Telecentre Bed and Breakfast?
You will be picked up by Jerome, a Crystal Eye Clinic nurse and volunteer coordinator. He will be holding a Unite for Sight sign. He will take you straight from the airport to the Telecentre.
Are there overnight outreach programs in Accra? How do I sign up for them?
There are several overnight outreach programs in Accra. They vary from 3-5 days to 2 weeks. You will be notified about which overnight outreach programs you will be participating in. You will receive the month's daily outreach schedule by e-mail right before the start of the month.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. Surgery days are Tuesday and Thursday at the Crystal Eye Clinic.
Is there internet?
There is wireless internet at the Telecentre. There is also an internet café downstairs. There are also other internet cafés around Accra. However, the internet can be quite slow. There are also power outages from time to time that affect the internet for hours at a time.
Are there ATMs or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around Accra and Kumasi. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be extremely difficulty to use in Ghana. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Ghana.
Where can we do laundry?
There is a laundry machine at the Telecentre.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Can I request a single or a double room?
Rooming is decided upon arrival at the Telecentre. You can make specific requests once you arrive, but please be flexible. For example, if there are an odd number of female volunteers and everyone wants to share a double room, one person will need to volunteer to stay in a single room. Remember also that there are constantly rotating volunteers in the Accra and Kumasi Region Programs, as volunteers arrive and depart every 10 days, others go on overnight outreaches, and others rotate for two weeks in Kumasi. Therefore, roommates can frequently shift.
What is appropriate clothing for Ghana?
Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are okay during personal downtime. Long pants and sneakers are recommended for the outreaches. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn. When you're at the eye clinic (not in the village outreaches), you should dress professionally in the same type of attire that you would wear in a clinic or hospital in your home country.
What do we do for meals?
The Telecentre will provide breakfast. On most days, you will be in the rural villages during lunchtime. Most volunteers bring snack bars and protein bars to quickly eat for lunch. For dinner, most volunteers eat as a group at restaurants located near the Telecentre. There are also grocery stores around the Telecentre to buy water and snacks. You may want to bring some granola bars or energy bars from home to supplement your meals and/or to bring along on the outreaches.
What is a typical day like?
In the morning, a van will take you from the Telecentre to the village for the outreach. The trip will take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. At the outreaches, different stations will be setup. For example, there is a patient intake station, the visual acuity station, the examination station (local ophthalmic nurses and optometrists), the medication/eyeglasses dispensing station, and the patient education station. After the outreach, the van will take you back to the Telecentre.
Tamale
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames. Be sure to review the Program Details To Remember in your volunteer login page, as much more detailed and important information is included.
How do I get from the airport to the Telecentre Bed and Breakfast?
You will be picked up by Jerome, a Crystal Eye Clinic nurse and volunteer coordinator. He will be holding a Unite for Sight sign. He will take you straight from the airport to the Telecentre.
How do I get from Accra to Tamale?
Dr. Wanye will arrange for a van to take you from Accra to Tamale. The trip will take anywhere from 8-12 hours.
Is there internet?
There are internet cafés around Tamale. However, the internet can be quite slow. There are also power outages from time to time that affect the internet for hours at a time.
Are there ATMS or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around Tamale. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be extremely difficulty to use in Ghana. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Ghana.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Can I request a single or a double room?
Rooming is decided upon arrival to Tamale. Volunteers lodge together in a rented house, and they usually take whatever rooms are available at the time of their arrival. You can make specific requests once you arrive, but please be flexible. For example, if there are an odd number of female volunteers and everyone wants to share a double room, one person will need to volunteer to stay in a single room. There are 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms at the Tamale volunteer house.
What is appropriate clothing for Ghana?
Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are okay during personal downtime. Long pants and sneakers are recommended for the outreaches. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn. When you're at the eye clinic (not in the village outreaches), you should dress professionally in the same type of attire that you would wear in a clinic or hospital in your home country.
What do I do for meals?
Food is provided by a cook at the Tamale volunteer house. There are also grocery stores/markets around Tamale to buy water and snacks. You may want to bring some granola bars or energy bars from home to supplement your meals and/or to bring along on the outreaches.
What is a typical day like?
In the morning, a van will take you from Tamale to the village outreach. The trip will take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. At the outreach, five different stations will be set up. These stations include the patient intake station, the visual acuity station, the examination station (Ghanaian ophthalmic nurses and optometrists), the medication/eyeglasses dispensing station, and the patient education station. After the outreach, the van will take you back to Tamale.
Are there overnight outreach programs in Tamale?
Yes, sometimes there are overnight outreaches. Dr. Wanye and the eye clinic make all of the arrangements.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. There are usually surgeries at the Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital every day.
Chennai
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames.
How do I get from the airport to the hotel?
You will be picked up by a car service hired by the Uma Eye Clinic. The driver will be holding a Unite For Sight sign. You will be taken straight from the airport to the hotel.
Is there internet?
There are internet cafés around Chennai. There is a good internet café across the street from the hotel. However, the internet can be quite slow.
Are there ATMS or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around Chennai. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be difficult to use. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Chennai.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Can I request a single or a double room?
Rooming is decided upon arrival in Chennai. Volunteers usually take whatever rooms are available. You can make specific requests once you arrive, but please be flexible. For example, if there are an odd number of female volunteers and everyone wants to share a double room, one person will need to volunteer to stay in a single room.
What is appropriate clothing for Chennai?
Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are okay during personal downtime. Long pants and sneakers are recommended for the outreaches. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn. When you're at the eye clinic (not in the village outreaches), you should dress professionally in the same type of attire that you would wear in a clinic or hospital in your home country.
Where do I do for laundry?
The hotel has a laundry service. They will wash your clothes for a set price. It is inexpensive and fairly quickly done.
What do I do for meals?
You will be responsible for your own breakfast. There is a grocery store next to the hotel to buy water and snacks. You may want to bring some granola bars or energy bars from home to eat for your breakfast, supplement your meals, and/or to bring along on the outreaches. For lunch, you'll either receive food from the eye clinic, or you can coordinate your own food for lunch. The volunteers go out to different restaurants around the area for dinner.
What is a typical day like?
In the morning, a van will take you from Chennai to the outreach. The trip will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. At the outreach, five different stations will be set up. These stations are the patient intake station, the visual acuity station, the examination station (optometrists/ophthalmologists), the medication/eyeglasses dispensing station, and the patient education station. After the outreach, the van will take you back to Chennai.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. There are daily surgeries at Hande Hospital.
Dhenkanal
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames.
How do I get from the airport to the guest house?
You will be picked up by a car service hired by Kalinga Eye Hospital. He will be holding a Unite For Sight sign. He will take you straight from the airport to the eye clinic. You will lodge in the hospital's guest house.
Is there internet?
Internet is available at the eye clinic. Keep in mind that the internet can be quite slow.
Are there ATMS or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around the area. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be difficult to use. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Dhenkanal. You should plan to pay your lodging and airport pickup expenses with cash directly to Kalinga Eye Hospital.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Can I request a single or a double room?
Rooming is decided upon at time of arrival to Orissa. Volunteers usually take whatever rooms are available. You can make specific requests once you arrive, but please be flexible. For example, if there are an odd number of female volunteers and everyone wants to share a double room, one person will need to volunteer to stay in a single room.
What is appropriate clothing for Orissa?
Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are okay during personal downtime. Long pants and sneakers are recommended for the outreaches. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn. When you're at the eye clinic (not in the village outreaches), you should dress professionally in the same type of attire that you would wear in a clinic or hospital in your home country.
What do I do for laundry?
There are laundry machines at the guest house. You may want to bring laundry detergent with you.
What do I do for meals?
There will be a cook who will make your meals for you. You may want to bring some granola bars or energy bars from home to supplement your meals and/or to bring along on the outreaches.
What is a typical day like?
Since your focus at Kalinga Eye Hospital will be on your management projects that you will be pursuing, your personal schedule will vary based on your project plans. Your personal schedule is likely to be very different from the schedules of other volunteers working at Kalinga Eye Hospital at the same time as you. Your specific schedule may also vary substantially based on the activities of the particular day, and you may not have any two days in Dhenkanal that are the same.
On days devoted to village outreaches, a van will take you from Dhenkanal to the village outreach. The trip will take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. After the outreach, the van will take you back to Kalinga Eye Hospital. On other days, you will spend considerable time at Kalinga Eye Hospital, where you will work on your projects and observe the doctors and surgeries.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. There are daily surgeries at Kalinga Eye Hospital.
Patna
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames.
How do I get from the airport to the guest house?
You will be picked up by a driver hired by the AB Eye Institute. The driver will be holding a Unite For Sight sign and take you to the home of the Sinhas.
Is there internet?
There is internet in the home of the Sinhas.Keep in mind that the internet can be quite slow.
Are there ATMS or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around the area. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be difficult to use. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Patna. You should plan to pay your expenses in U.S. cash directly to the Sinhas.
Is food and water safe?
You will eat all of your meals with the Sinhas. Just remember to always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Where do I live?
You will be living with the Sinha family in their home. You will be living in the guest room. You will either be by yourself or with another volunteer.
What is appropriate clothing for Bihar?
You should dress conservatively and professionally. Your attire should match the type of clothing that you would wear while shadowing or volunteering at a hospital in your home country. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn.
What do I do for laundry?
The Sinha family will do your laundry for you.
What do I do for meals?
The Sinhas make meals for you. You may want to bring some granola bars or energy bars from home to supplement your meals and/or bring to eat during breaks at the eye clinic.
What is a typical day like?
In the morning, you will go with the Sinhas to AB Eye Institute. You will work there all morning and most of the afternoon. During the middle of the afternoon, you will go with the Sinhas to a charity clinic at a community center in Patna. After the charity clinic, you will return with the Sinhas to AB Eye Institute, where they continue seeing patients into the evening. You will then return to their home for dinner.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. There are daily surgeries at the AB Eye Institute.
New Delhi
How do I get from the airport to the hotel?
You will be picked up by a driver hired by Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital. The driver will be holding a Unite For Sight sign and take you to the hotel.
Is there internet?
There is internet at the eye clinic, and there are internet cafes in the area. Keep in mind that the internet can be quite slow in comparison to what you may be used to.
Are there ATMS or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around the area. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be difficult to use. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Delhi.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Where do I live?
You will be living at a hotel that is located near Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.
What is appropriate clothing for Delhi?
You should dress conservatively and professionally. Your attire should match the type of clothing that you would wear while shadowing or volunteering at a hospital in your home country. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn.
What do I do for meals?
The hospital provides free food as well as plenty of bottled water in the "Canteen". Be aware that Indian food can be very spicy and in many places is vegetarian. Room service is available at the hotel, but there are also many restaurants in the area.
What is a typical day like?
A typical day consists of arriving at Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital around 8am for lecture in the library. Then, volunteers start seeing patients with doctors around 9-9:30am. Volunteers are stationed in one of the specialty areas of the hospital: general outpatient clinic, operating room, cornea, retina, glaucoma, or the wet lab for suturing. Volunteers shadow doctors and ask questions to learn about eye diseases. Doctors also encourage volunteers to look through the slit lamp at fascinating cases. After lunch, volunteers are moved to another area of the hospital.
Extensive opportunities to learn are available. The volunteer program is flexible and dependent on each volunteer's primary goals and interests. The objective of Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital is to provide Unite For Sight volunteers with resources to learn about healthcare in underserved areas. It is the volunteer's responsibility to determine what he or she plans to gain from the experience and from then on to pursue those goals. The entire hospital welcomes volunteers and is open grounds for learning opportunities. You should take initiative and ask staff to explain procedures or provide you with projects.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes. There are daily surgeries at Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.
Tegucigalpa
How should I bring the glasses abroad?
Most volunteers find it easiest to carry all the glasses in one suitcase. Please pack them well to avoid damage to the lens and the frames.
How do I get from the airport to the hotel?
You will be picked up by the eye clinic's driver. He will be holding a Unite for Sight sign. He will take you straight from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is located across the street from the eye clinic.
Can I observe cataract surgeries?
Yes, and you are encouraged to observe surgeries.
Is there internet?
There is internet at the hotel.
Are there ATMs or banks around the area?
Yes, there are ATMs and banks around the area. Most volunteers opt to get their money from ATMs instead of using traveler’s checks since traveler's checks can be extremely difficulty to use. You should call your bank to be sure that you will be able to use your ATM in Tegucigalpa.
Is food and water safe?
You can ask the other volunteers and eye clinic employees to recommend good and safe restaurants to eat at. Always drink bottled water. Avoid street food, raw food, and drinks from open containers. Remember also that ice is frozen water, and you therefore should never have ice. Similarly, fruits and salads are washed in water, and you should therefore avoid these as well.
Can I request a single or a double room?
Rooming is decided upon arrival to the hotel. You can make specific requests once you arrive, but please be flexible. For example, if there are an odd number of female volunteers and everyone wants to share a double room, one person will need to volunteer to stay in a single room.
What is appropriate clothing for Honduras?
You should dress professionally when you are at ZOE Eye Clinic. Long pants and sneakers are recommended for the outreaches in the villages. It's best to cover as much exposed skin as possible so that you avoid mosquito and other bug bites. Remember that many bugs will swarm close to the ground and will bite your exposed feet and legs. Tank tops and short skirts/shorts are too revealing and should not be worn.
What do we do for meals?
There are a lot of fast food restaurants and local restaurants in the area. Most volunteers bring snack bars and protein bars to quickly eat for lunch and to supplement their meals.
What is a typical day like?
On outreach days, usually volunteers wake up, have breakfast, and arrive at the clinic before 9am. The outreach continues until a lunch break around 12:30pm. Then, the team resumes to providing eye care until there is no longer sufficient light to continue. There are also days spent at the eye clinic in Tegucigalpa.