VisionSpring

👓 What if the fastest way to better vision wasn't through a health facility at all?

In a recent article in The Telegraph, Ben Farmer highlights our partnership with faith-based organizations in Zambia, Uganda, and Malawi, where we train church leaders and volunteers to screen their congregations and dispense affordable reading glasses through trusted community systems.

💜 For the cost of a £2 pair of specs, the Church of Uganda, The Council of Churches in Zambia, and the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Malawi and Zambia are transforming lives.

“We feel so blessed when we see the effect,” said Reverend Robert Mayambala Tendo, a vicar in Uganda. “After screening, many people can suddenly read their Bibles — and they can go out and do business in their communities, which increases their productivity as well.”

It's estimated that two-thirds of people in low-income countries who need glasses cannot access them. That gap is what drives CatalEYES, our training and technical assistance model designed to help organisations integrate near vision screening and reading glasses into existing community-based programs.

Whether it's community health workers, pharmacies, or churches, the goal is to make vision care part of what they already do.

👏🏾 The solution is already in the community — it just needs to be activated.

Click on the link in the comments below to read the article!

🇰🇪 Next week, Team VisionSpring is in Nairobi for VISION 2020/IAPB’s 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE! We’re joining global leaders and changemakers to explore how we can guarantee universal eye health.

A key focus this year is CatalEYES: our training and technical assistance platform designed to help any organisation easily integrate near vision screening and glasses into their existing community-based programs.

📆 Don't miss us on Thursday, June 4 at 2:45 PM for our session�"How Do We Reach 827 Million? Scaling Presbyopia Correction in and Beyond Eye Care.”
🔗 Register for the session here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyqn7SqVZCGjZobQ36cT_z_vKvLsrWp_Wz-kNhZua8pDokbQ/viewform

You can also catch our team at these sessions. They’ll share what they've learned about scaling access to vision care, forging cross-sector partnerships, and gathering evidence for change.

🎤 Friday, June 5 | 1:45 PM�
Anne Coolen, Chief Impact Officer “Implementation for Scale: Methods That Support Adaptation and Momentum”

🎤 Friday, June 5 | 3:15 PM�
Adebowale Alfred Adekunle, Global Data and Reporting Lead “Investing in Leadership: Making Space for New Voices and Capabilities”

🎤 Friday, June 5 | 3:15 PM�
Dr. Sonia Pant, Associate Director of Global Research and Evaluation “Action Café: Rapid Fire Presentations Session 3” — presenting findings from PROSPER II, our latest randomised controlled trial.

🎤 Saturday, June 6 | 1:45 PM�
Gabriel Ogunyemi, Africa Regional Director “Six Accelerators, One System: Unlocking Investment to Scale Eye Care by 2030”

📩 If you're attending, we'd love to connect! Reach us at [email protected]

See you soon!