This January, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Governor of Mus (Mush) accepted our proposal for a mission to Mus, Turkey. We are currently registering volunteers, and are asking interested individuals to step forward now as travel arrangements need to be made in advance of the summer holidays.
For those of you who might not know us, Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) is an organization of optometrists and other interested individuals who are dedicated to providing vision care to people around the world who cannot otherwise afford or obtain it. More information on VOSH can be found at www.vosh.org. Northeast VOSH (NeVosh) is a member of VOSH and renamed itself to reflect its heavy participation by New Englanders from the Northeastern USA. Since 1987, NeVosh has provided an annual humanitarian eye and health care mission to Central America.
photograph by hannes-swoboda
Mus is one of the poorest areas in Turkey, located west of Lake Van it is in the region where the Pontus and Taurus Mountains converge, in Southeastern Anatolia. The landscape is rugged and has severe winters. Mount Ararat is located in this area. The Mus Valley is a fertile basin and various rivers flow through it.
The mission will be in August when vacation schedules make travel easier. The weather will also be pleasant, and not as hot as in other parts of the country. Our current schedule has us departing on the 12th of August for Istanbul and leaving Mus by Friday the 19th. We imagine many volunteers will want to spend more time in Turkey after the mission, and we can work with you to this end. Those returning directly after the mission can anticipate being back in the Eastern United States by Sunday the 21st.
The Governor of Mus has put at our disposal the facilities of a professional medical high school in their city. We also anticipate working with local health care professionals and students. Since facilities in Mus may allow for surgery, the mission would significantly benefit if our team included an Ophthalmologist. In total, we are looking to assemble a team of at least 15, though this number might increase to 20 or more. The minimum positions are:
Optometrists
Optometry Students
Optical Dispensers
Physicians
Dentists
Dental Assistants
Nurses
Non-medical support people
Our estimate of costs from New York JFK and back is $1750 (flight is approximately $1200). It includes airfare to and from Istanbul, travel to and from Istanbul and Mus, hotel in Mus, and several group dinners and lunches during the mission. It does not include vacation travel and accommodations after the mission.
Tentative Schedule for volunteers from the United States (all dates are in August 2005):
