Newscenter
Yoli: “When I first heard about Community Enterprise Solutions (VisionSpring's Guatemala partner), I was worried that I was too old to learn a new field. Years ago, I had worked as a community organizer, but for more than twenty years I had been a housewife, taking care of my children while my husband was in the field. I decided to sign up for training as a Vision Entrepreneur. I was one of the first in my country. After my training, I realized that the best place to publicize was in the Catholic Church. So I went to my priest, gave him a screening, and showed him that he needed +1.50 glasses. My priest decided to support the program on the spot and helped refer me to other people who needed glasses.
I got going and began making very good money, better than I had ever made in my life. Better than my husband, in fact. All of a sudden I remembered Clara Luz, who I hadn't seen in twenty years since my days of community organizing, and I decided I would go find her to have a chat. After I explained the business she said ‘Yoli, I will do it. All you have to do is tell me what we are going to do and we will do it together.’
From the time she finished her training and we joined together, we have been very successful at our work. We make a great team. Now Clara Luz and I have been promoted to District Coordinators and we oversee 16 other women working as Vision Entrepreneurs.”
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Clara Luz: “When Yoli first asked me to become a Vision Entrepreneur, I was happy to sign up. At that time I was perfectly happy with the profit I made from the glasses. I also loved helping people – to me this is a labor of humanity. It was an amazing opportunity – I never dreamed a higher opportunity would come for me.
But then we were promoted to District Coordinators. I’m thrilled with the level of responsibility I have been given. I’ve never before been so satisfied with my job. Yoli and I see our Vision Entrepreneurs every month in order to give them products, to see how things are going, to ask them where they are going the next month. We make sure that all of the activities are going well and that the program continues to function smoothly.
We have learned so many things about business and eyecare as Vision Entrepreneus. I didn’t know anything about the field before and had never run a business, but now I am very confident about the work I do. I love the fact that I can help improve the health and incomes of individuals my community, and make such good money for my family at the same time.”
