She missed the first call, spending too much time trying to find a quiet place to answer before the app shifted to a different volunteer. This time, however, she stopped in her tracks and made herself available.
"The video was blank, but I could hear a man’s voice asking about the expiry date on his bread," Be My Eyes app volunteer Ife Olatunji-David told BuzzFeed. "I almost asked him to turn on his flashlight, [but] then I saw a button to help the caller turn on their light. I pressed that and saw him holding a pack of bread. I couldn’t find the expiry date, so I asked him to move the camera a bit to the right so I could check, then I saw it was to expire some days after. I informed him, [and] he then asked if it was brown bread. I told him 'yes, it was.' He said thank you and ended the call."
Downloaded an app called "Be my eyes" to assist visually impaired people across the world living alone... Just received my first call, the guy asked me to confirm the expiry date on his bread and what type of bread it is ... OMG!!! 🥺🥲😭😭
This call was Ife's first time using Be My Eyes, which pairs blind and low-vision users with those who have full sight capabilities.
The app officially launched in 2015 after its founder, Hans Jørgen, was speaking with a visually impaired friend who explained that they call family members when stumbling upon sight-restricted obstacles for everyday tasks. Jørgen, being a visually impaired craftsman himself, could relate, and wondered how he could utilize the idea of video calling for help without needing to always rely on friends or family...
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...and Be My Eyes does just that. Available on iOS and Android, the free app connects volunteers with blind or low-vision people across the world through video calls. As of now, there are nearly 5.5 million volunteers and 360,000+ visually impaired users, guaranteeing short wait times for those in need of help and few calls for willing volunteers.
After Ife shared her experience with the app on Twitter, other users chimed in with their own stories, like this person who helped a woman pick out a dinner outfit:
@IfeODavid @alqueerian I love this app ❣️ my favorite call was helping a lady pick out their outfit before a fancy dinner, we went with a red look ❤️
Others have helped confirm COVID-19 test results...
@IfeODavid I've taken two calls so far. One top help a man find his hat and another to help confirm Covid results 🙂
...count dollar bills...
@IfeODavid Remembering the first call i answered. He asked to confirm amount of money he was with, it felt so nice.
...double check school uniforms for cleanliness...
@IfeODavid @cremechic11 Its the best, i once had a 16 year call me to make sure his uniform was clean and his money was complete, it made my week
...and even offer a kind word.
@IfeODavid Downloaded this app like a month ago... Had my 7th call yest. Its surprising cuz my friend had it for months and just 1 call. Lol. It's super great.. It leaves you with this joy knowing u helped some1. Funniest call was a woman asking if she looks beautiful. 😅
"I've been asked to help on a lot: [reading] cooker regulations, [finding] remotes, [and] a woman asked if she looks beautiful," user @tidedamz said. "I sang her a line from James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful.' She smiled and said 'Thank you.' She wanted to look beautiful for her daughter."
When speaking about Be My Eyes, Jørgen said, “It's my hope that by helping each other as an online community, Be My Eyes will make a big difference in the everyday lives of blind people all over the world.”
And it appears as though it's doing just that. One visually impaired user responded to Ife's viral experience with the app, saying, "Thank you for being our eyes... You don't know how this kind gesture is impacting our lives."
@IfeODavid @EuginhoCortez Thanks for being our eyes. You’re highly appreciated. You don’t how this kind gesture is impacting our lives.