Chetan, a high school senior, wanted to do something that would leave an impact on the world. He had no idea what he wanted to do starting out until he started researching passionate causes he could support. His parents encouraged him to pursue his goals and make a change in the world. Soon after, he started Vision for 1 Thousand: a non-profit organization that will give back 1,000 people the gift of sight. The project’s goal is to raise $30,000 to sponsor 1,000 eye surgeries around the world.
The target demographic is those who cannot afford medical services. Vision for 1 Thousand aims to provide “The Gift of Sight” to 1,000 people by sponsoring affordable eye surgery with medical care. For many of the recipients, their quality of life will improve immediately after recovery.
During his presentation, he went on to say, “I was challenged by my parents to make a change in the world I’m here today speaking to you to inspire you to stand with me to lead the change towards a better world. My vision is to give back 1,000 people the gift of sight to let them see and experience the magic of sight to cherish the world as those who have sight.”
The symposium of speakers included legendary Lt. General Honore’ who commented, “The next war will be about water, not oil.” From global and domestic terrorist threats to natural disasters, we encounter new risks to our individual, community, and economic security each day. We will need to leverage technology to deal with the addition of 7 to 10 million people added to this earth. Imagine a plane landing at LaGuardia and the computer tells the pilot that the passenger in seat 22 has a fever. None of this is invented, and we have to live up to our ability to be innovators and dreamers.”
The other keynote speaker, Col. and Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, an American engineer, and a former astronaut detailed his next mission. As the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, he was one of the first two humans to land on the Moon, and the second person to walk on it. He spoke about going big on his mission to Mars. He commented, “In my opinion, there is no more convincing way to demonstrate American leadership for the remainder of this century than to commit to a permanent presence on Mars, going to Mars without setting up a colony — launching only round-trip manned missions is not enough, nor would establishing human outposts on the moon.”
Chetan was part of an elite group of leaders invited to West Pont. In his closing remarks, he commented, “Due to numerous advances in technology and medicine blindness can be fixed or even completely reversed. Currently, 285 million people around the world are suffering from vision impairment now, and I want you to let that sink in and think about how much you would pay to get back your vision. I know that many of you would do anything within your power to read again. But did you know that it only takes thirty dollars to sponsor one surgery in a developing country to completely restore someone sight?”
“I certainly did not know that when I started down this path. But I’m here to share this insight with you and to give 1,000 people back their vision and live once again, being able to work, to see their family, to look at nature and cherish their existence to their fullest. How many of you think that giving only thirty dollars is a worthy cause to restore someone’s vision now? I’m asking you to dig into your pockets and to pull out thirty dollars sixty dollars or ninety dollars or more that’s all it takes to give the gift of sight to one or more people around the world so join me in giving back 1,000 people their vision.”
To find out more about Chetan and Vision for 1 Thousand visit http://Visionfor1Thousand.com or email him at Visionfor1Thousand@gmail.com or Chetan.Raguthu@gmail.com.
To view the entire presentation click here.