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Published 11:33 IST, September 10th 2020

Lionel Messi gifts blind fan £4.2K OrCam glasses as he leads charity for visually impaired

Lionel Messi, who recently teamed up with Israel-based company OrCam, gifted a ten-year-old visually impaired Arsenal fan "life-changing" AI glasses.

Reported by: Devika Pawar
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Lionel Messi is currently working with Israeli company OrCam to raise awareness for the blind and visually impaired. This week, OrCam announced that the Barcelona superstar will be their new brand ambassador, working to increase accessibility for the visually impaired through OrCam's AI technology. A part of the campaign is Messi meeting visually impaired people from all around the world, where he also gifts them OrCam's “life-changing” glasses (and other devices). 

Also read | Lionel Messi back training with rest of Barcelona squad

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Messi and blind fan: Lionel Messi gifts visibly impaired child high-tech £4,200 glasses

In a small promo uploaded by OrCam, the 33-year-old forward is seen gifting a pair of glasses worth £4,200 to a blind child. As per reports, the kid was ten, and Messi will gift multiple pairs to visually impaired children in the next few years. Reports also added that the child who Messi hugged after putting the glasses on, is an Arsenal fan. 

Also read | Lionel Messi makes a promise to Ronald Koeman in first meeting since agreeing Barca stay

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OrCam's impressive device is called 'MyEye' and will help people read the text in front of them, even identifying faces. According to OrCam, the device will be given to people with inspirational stories who the six-time Ballon d'Or winner meets. Messi has previously spoken about the campaign, describing the emotion as "incredible". "Meeting with this amazing group of people from around the world was truly a magical and inspiring moment," Messi said. He labelled the glasses as "life-changing" for the visually impaired, adding that he is proud to be OrCam's ambassador so he can have an impact on so many people's lives. 

Also read | Lionel Messi carity: Everything you need to know about Barcelona star's charity

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The Arsenal fan in the video is a child by the name of Mikey, living in Enfield. The child will now be a part of the OrCam Dream Team. Twelve other people living in Israel, Japan, Germany, Spain, Uruguay, Brazil, France and the US also met the Argentinian ace. Reports added that no one was aware that they would be meeting Messi. 

On the other hand, Messi resumed training at Ciutat Esportiva this week. Both Messi and Coutinho were training individually because of the safety protocols. Last week, Messi announced that he would continue to play for Barcelona this season due to the contract disagreements. Last month, Messi was seeking to facilitate an exit from the club after a tumultuous season. However, the six-time Ballon d'Or award winner confirmed that he would be staying with Barcelona for the coming season since the club president is "not a man of his word". 

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Also read | Lionel Messi to Chelsea? Blues fans spot interesting development on Instagram as Messi follows Chelsea

(Image credits: OrCam Twitter)

11:33 IST, September 10th 2020