Glasses Garb

The project will be a collaboration between the Lamu Center of Preventative Health and a high school in the Bloomington-Normal area. Youth at the high school will help to make the glasses cases and collect donated cleaning/repair supplies. Then the students will be educated about the need of the people of Lamu, while also being educated about the importance of regular eye exams, etc. The students will also watch a movie entitled "Going Blind" by Lovett Productions. This inspiring and educational video helps to elevate the stigma associated with people who are blind. Following having the supplies sent and distributed in Lamu, we will arrange a series of Skype calls between the communities. This will allow the students to directly see the impact they are having on a persons' life, to humanize the project to a greater extent. One of the underlying goals of the program is to empower women in Lamu and help young girls here realize their endless opportunities. During the summer of 2011, 66% of the 340 people visiting the clinic were women. This opens up a great opportunity for these women to speak to the high school girls is Bloomington-Normal. The Bloomington-Normal girls will be inspired to be advocates for women's rights and the young women of Lamu will see the possibilities they have (even in an androcentric culture).