Terrie Wehse

I attribute my success to putting this vision into action and trusting the timing. From the moment I witnessed that young man in Namibia struggling to read, something clicked in my brain about logistics and how to deploy vision care in remote places. When my job ended unexpectedly due to healthcare cuts, I could have panicked, but instead I decided to go all in because the connections just kept falling into place. Within six months of my first plea for funding on Giving Tuesday, I was already in the field doing the work. It was a big lift, but it happened, and I think it was important to me to get this first trip under my belt to prove that I'm actually doing it, which hopefully will help me gain the grant money I need. The fact that I raised funds from friends and family, traveled for five weeks, saw 700 individuals, and distributed over 550 pairs of eyeglasses shows that even though I'm still in my incubator stage, this simple business model creates very high impact. My background as a project manager gave me the logistics mindset, but it's really been about working smart, reaching out,, trusting the process, and just making it happen.

The best career advice I have ever received is that I can build a rewarding career while also making a meaningful difference in underserved communities around the world.

If I could offer advice to young women entering my industry, it would be that you truly can make a difference in the lives of others through your work. Stay confident in your abilities, seek out opportunities to learn and grow, and remember that your perspective and contributions matter. The work may be challenging at times, but it is also deeply meaningful and has the potential to create lasting impact for the people and communities you serve.

The biggest challenge I'm facing right now is getting myself out there and securing the funding I need to sustain this work. I'm all in on this nonprofit, and I need to support myself with mortgage and taxes while also saving up for my next trips. When I'm back in the States, I'm trying to drum up grant money so I can survive doing this important work. Being a founder for just over a year, I truly need to get the information out there to receive more grants and funding. It's the hardest thing for me to do because I'm the last one to be called an influencer, I have never been good at social media; but I need all the help I can get to validate that I'm here and doing important work. My impact is very high with a simple business model, and organizations are already calling asking me to come back, but I need the financial support to make it sustainable.

Being able to make a real difference in people's lives is what drives everything I do. When I tell people that if I could pass out just 10 pairs of readers I'd be happy, they remind me that I'll be asked over and over to come back, and that's exactly what happened. Over 550 pairs later, I have organizations already calling me to return. The work is completely human-to-human, just trying on glasses with people and watching the transformation when someone can suddenly thread a needle they haven't been able to thread for years, or when they keep reading down the chart because they can finally see. It's simple for us to pop down to the dollar store for five-dollar readers, but in these communities where town is two hours away and there's no access, I'm serving truly non-served communities. Handing over a pair of glasses opens up the world for them. Living in northern Vermont, I value my daily walks in the woods with my dog, being outside hiking and kayaking, and now having the freedom to travel and help people. With my kids in their 20s and the nest empty, the timing of this work has been lovely because it allows me to have the time to be away while making a meaningful impact.