In the Fun Reception, an activity that we carry out every year to celebrate Recycler's Day, we don't just share recreational activities with basic recyclers and recyclers. Thanks to the alliance with Seguros Alianza, we also brought health services closer and were able to identify specific needs such as visual health. Many recyclers told us that they had never been able to access a visual exam or a pair of lenses.
With that information, we are looking for allies. And this year, thanks to the support of Aseguradora del Sur, we were able to provide a concrete answer: 26 pairs of lenses were given free of charge to basic recyclers and recyclers, of which 7 were for boys and girls in their families.
In Ecuador, a pair of lenses can cost between 25 and 240 dollars in frames alone, in addition to specialized exams and, in many cases, special lenses depending on the graduation. For recycling families whose monthly income is around $250, this expense is unattainable. That's why, for many children, youth and adults, it was the first time they were able to see clearly.
The waste picker María Marta Escobar, who works in Cumbayá, put it this way: “I didn't see well. My biggest problem was to recognize people, now I will be able to recognize them on the street and work better. It's a pretty big help.” His testimony sums up the impact of something so basic, yet so elusive for thousands of people.
What began as a diagnosis in Recimañana Diverada, has now become a real solution thanks to the coordination between ReciVeci and Asuradora del Sur. Thus, visual health is added to the list of needs that, when we find the right partners, we can address in a dignified and timely manner.
Visual health is just one of the needs that basic recyclers face on a daily basis. From ReciVeci, we call on more companies and allies to join, so that together we can bring services that transform lives and recognize, in a tangible way, the essential role of those who support recycling in Ecuador.
