With the push of a button, Danielle Montour can be on a video call with someone from the other side of the world. But when she’s using the “Be My Eyes” app, it’s not a typical chat between friends.
Danielle, who is blind and has no usable vision, is one of more than half a million people who use the app for assistance with daily tasks. Upon request, Be My Eyes automatically connects blind or low-vision users with a sighted volunteer who is available to help.
“I love that [the volunteer who helps] could literally be anyone down the street or someone in Denmark,” Danielle said.
Be My Eyes is free to use and was created in 2015 by Danish furniture craftsman Hans Jorgen Wiberg.
“It’s this little merging between technology and human kindness that makes me get out of bed every day and love my job,” Mike Buckley, the CEO of Be My Eyes, said.
More than seven million volunteers are part of the Be My Eyes platform.
“There’s clearly a stated need,” Danielle said. “And [sighted] people have decided this is the way they can help and contribute in a meaningful way.”
If you’d like to sign up to be a user or volunteer with Be My Eyes, you can do so here.
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