Today we’d like to introduce you to Mojgan Besharat.
Hi Mojgan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been practicing optometry in North Carolina for almost 27 years. Once COVID hit and the whole world came to an halt (except for hospitals and essential workers), I had the chance to truly spend some time reflecting on my career and the direction I wanted to go. Prior to COVID I had already done multiple overseas eye care outreach events in countries such as Paraguay, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Nepal as well as various Native Health Reservations through out United States. What I have known since the beginning of my career, that solidified during COVID, is how much it matters to me to serve those who lack the resources to obtain access to eye care and health services. Alongside this realization I was also very interested in providing more mentorship and coaching to individuals and groups of people.
I had the privilege of attending the Strozzi Coaching program in 2021 to obtain my certification as a somatic coach.
Alongside my deep understanding of the physical health systems of the body, I also gained the competency to serve my clients and patients in a way that aligned to what they care about.
I founded a nonprofit called In Her Vision in 2021 that works through out North Carolina providing free eye care services as well as somatic coaching for communities and individuals who have limited access to health and wellness services. To date we have served over 1,400 individuals and are growing the number of community partners through out the state. This allows us to continue serving more individuals seeking more clarity (either through better vision and/or taking actionable steps towards better emotional/mental health).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our biggest challenge to date comes from funding that allows us to be sustainable. As we are a small nonprofit with limited staff, we do not have the resources to hire full time grant writers or fundraising captains. Along with the shrinking number of grants and resources available to nonprofits, we are always looking for ways to continue our work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
In Her Vision Foundation is a nonprofit that is focused on bringing more clarity and empowerment to underserved individuals and communities in North Carolina.
We are made up of a small team of health care providers, somatic coaches and volunteers who work with other nonprofits in providing our services at not cost to the individuals we serve.
We provide free comprehensive eye care and glasses along with mentorship and life coaching. We are the only organization in our state that has traveled to different areas of North Carolina (east to west, north to south) ensuring our rural and urban communities receive the services they need. We make eye care and health care accessible by bringing our services to the patients/clients we serve through our partnership with Durham Tech Mobile Health Lab.
We are proud of the fact that we have built lasting partnerships with other nonprofits who are serving our underprivileged communities. We have had the great honor of returning back multiple times in the past four years to serve the clients of these nonprofits.
We hope to continue growing our outreach efforts by engaging corporate sponsors who are interested in being a part of our community outreach throughout North Carolina.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We are always happy to welcome anyone interested in volunteering with us, including high school and college students looking to learn more about health care services, retired folks wanting to give back to the community and any businesses interested sponsoring our work while creating team building opportunities through outreach.
We always appreciate public donations that also help us continue our work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inhervision.org
- Instagram: In_Her_Vision
