The More Vision for
Education project has been part of Opto's
Social Actions since 2005
Opto has been operating in Social Actions since
2004, when Jarbas and Elisabeth Castro (the
driver and navigator of the Opto Rally Team)
spontaneously distributed 350 pairs of glasses
for presbyopia, and 500 dental hygiene kits to
the population in the towns that the Rally went
through.
The following year, feeling the need to
professionalize these actions, a partnership was
set up between Opto Eletrônica and Instituto
Brasil Solidário, and in 2005, the company
carried out ophthalmology examinations on 783
people and donated 405 pairs of glasses. In
2006, there were 827 examinations performed and
420 pairs of glasses donated. Last year, 742
ophthalmology examinations were carried out and
445 pairs of glasses were donated.
Why
does Opto take part in Social Actions during the
Sertões Rally?
According to a statement made at the end of last
year's actions by Jarbas Castro, Chairman of
Opto Eletrônica: "To hold a Rally as large
as the Sertões Rally, it is necessary to be in
a very primitive region since the race takes
place on roads that are in an extremely
precarious state and can therefore be used for a
Cross Country Rally. The Sertões Rally social
actions therefore come across extremely deprived
populations living far from the developed
centers of our country. Hence, the constructive
effect of our actions can clearly be seen. For
example, there are more than 2,000
ophthalmologists in the city of São Paulo,
whereas in the majority of towns covered by our
social actions, there are no ophthalmologists
within 400 kilometers of the communities being
attended. The majority of the population being
benefited has never seen an ophthalmologist and
people study and work without glasses simply
because they don't know that they need them. It
is, therefore, very gratifying for our company
to help such a needy population, and principally
to help them to see better and thus to get a
better education, since education is the big
national problem that needs to be solved in the
medium term."
Opto not only provides ophthalmologic
examinations using ophthalmologists and
equipment made available for the project, but
donates the lenses for the glasses, which are
made by Artec
(an Opto Group company). The frames are
donated by Tecnol,
which also sponsors the Opto
Rally Team.
The examinations carried out all day Friday and
yesterday morning took place in the town of
Paranã (TO). Today, they were carried out at
the Maria dos Reis State School in Palmas (TO).
The project next moves on to Balsas (MA), where
examinations will be carried out tomorrow.
Up to the time this bulletin was published, the
results of the 4th stage, which took place
yesterday (Saturday) between Niquelândia (GO)
and Paranã (TO) have not been released. Jarbas
Castro and Fábio Peralli started off this stage
in 37th place.
The
Opto Rally Team
is sponsored by the companies Mediphacos,
Ophthalmos,
Opto Global
and Tecnol,
which are also supporting the Social Action in
Ophthalmology.
See you tomorrow!
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