A game changer is an expression that describes an idea so different and original that the system or “game” cannot continue in the same way. Copernicus’s idea was a complete game changer that changed the way we see the world. He was an astronomer in the 15th and 16th century Europe who said that the earth was not the center of the universe. He studied the movements of the sun and stars to prove that they did not revolve around the earth. Of course, he was not the first person to understand that it’s the earth that revolves around the sun, but his ideas were so shocking to the western world, that the Catholic Church banned his writing.
Kopernik is an NGO that takes its name from Copernicus. Just like Copernicus, they want to be a game changer that changes the way people try to solve problems around the world. They connect producers of cutting edge technologies with poor communities that need it most. Some of their projects include affordable water filters, biomass stoves and solar lighting.
One of Kopernik’s most interesting projects is providing eyeglasses that can be self-adjusted. There are over 670 million people around the world who live with poor vision because they don’t have access to eye doctors. For many of the world’s poorest, even if they do have access to an eye doctor, it could cost up to 3 months salary to pay for glasses. The glasses that Kopernik sends around the world are designed to bring vision to people in a cost effective way. These glasses have syringes on each side filled with oil. Using these oil filled syringes, the wearer is able to increase or decrease the amount of oil that fills the lenses. In this way, these DIY glasses can be easily adjusted without a doctor. Watch the video below to learn about one way that Kopernik and these glasses are a game changer for people who can’t work, study or even leave the house because of vision problems.
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