Although she was unable to join the Gift of Sight team in Guatemala this year, Aysha Rahman is a vital member of the Humanity First, USA team. She is the assistant director of the Gift of Sight project; without all her meticulous work and tireless effort, the trip would not have been possible. 

In June 2010, Dr. Ahsan Khan called Aysha and asked her if she would be interested in taking on an assistant director role. She had volunteered with Dr. Khan in the past during Humanity First USA’s West Coast Fire disaster relief project and was busy finishing her second year of graduate school at the time, but decided to take on the position. As assistant director, Aysha organizes all the details that need to be taken care of for Gift of Sight projects. She is also the assistant country director for Guatemala, and works closely with the Humanity First Guatemala director, David “Don” Gonazales. In addition to her work with Humanity First, Aysha is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA. 

Last year’s mission was Aysha’s second trip to Guatemala. In 1991, she traveled with her family to Guatemala City for the opening of a medical clinic. She has very fond memories of this first “unofficial” humanitarian mission and needless to say, she was very excited to return to the country as an adult to help the vibrant and friendly Guatemalans she had encountered in the past.

During her trip in 2010, she had the opportunity to interact not only with patients and their families, but also with local government officials. The good natured personalities of Guatemalans stood out to her throughout the entire trip and is a compelling force in her desire to return with the Gift of Sight team next year. “The kindness of the people there is truly amazing. They are humble and caring people, and it’s a wonderful feeling to see happy patients leave with their families.”