RestoringVision’s program team has grown and transformed over the last 6 months, as new staff members bring fresh perspectives and new skills to our work of solving the global vision crisis through providing people in need with vision programs and glasses delivery.
Gerardo Medina Duarte, Program Coordinator, Mexico, joined RestoringVision in December 2021. Gerardo was raised in a family of opticians. Visual health became part of his life early on, creating a significant understanding of how a pair of eyeglasses can enhance someone’s life. Prior to joining RestoringVision, Gerardo worked as a Social Responsibility Coordinator in the textile industry in Mexico.
What do you enjoy most about your work at RestoringVision?
Gerardo: The people, the team, and the feeling of being an active part of a great story that today has reached more than 20 million lives by improving their sight.
Why is this work important to you personally?
Gerardo: My father was one of the first optical shop owners in my town back in the ’70s, and seeing people’s faces when restoring their vision has been part of my life since I was a child. Sight is one of the most beautiful gifts in life, and today, I have the opportunity to contribute to this for the most vulnerable people in Mexico and Peru and that is very significant and meaningful to me.
Who inspires you most and why?
Gerardo: I certainly admire my father as a human, his sense of humility, and his creativity; he inspires me to keep going in my career and never stop learning from others.
What are you most looking forward to in your role at RestoringVision?
Gerardo: We estimate that there are around 19 million people in Mexico living in poverty with a high probability of having presbyopia and not having the opportunity to access reading glasses. I will invest my best efforts to help all those out there from my position. And I will contribute my best to the team to help expand RestoringVision´s positive impact in Latin America and the Caribbean.
What do you do in your free time when you’re not solving the global vision crisis?
Gerardo: I love my town, and I enjoy walking through the beautiful state of Puebla in México with my family during weekends.
