VisionSpring

The countdown to 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE has begun! We are just two weeks away from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)'s flagship global event, this year held in Kathmandu. 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE is dedicated entirely to solving one of the world's most overlooked challenges: ensuring everyone, everywhere has access to eyecare. We'll be taking part in two key sessions during the event: "Masterclass: Multisector Partnerships for Eye Health" – Join Anshu Taneja (Managing Director, India) and other speakers to learn how impactful partnerships are essential to advancing eye health. "Clear Vision, Safer Roads" – A workshop co-hosted by VisionSpring, India Vision Institute, Mission for Vision, and Sightsavers India, featuring Ella Gudwin (CEO) and Dr Sonia Pant (Associate Director, MERL). Join us for a discussion of lessons learned: what it takes to effectively bring vision screenings and eyeglasses to drivers and transport workers. If you are attending, we'd love to meet! Leave a comment or reach out to us to book some time with Team VisionSpring. #Nepal #2030INSIGHT #SocialEntrepreneurship

Did you know that the vanilla industry owes much of its success to the ingenuity of a 12-year old boy from the 1800s? Despite being born into slavery and denied an education, Edmond Albius developed a revolutionary hand-pollination technique that transformed the global vanilla trade. Without this process, only 1% of vanilla orchids would manage to naturally self-pollinate. Hand-pollination is no easy task. It requires focus, steady hands, and most of all, clear vision. Workers have to manually place a grain of pollen on the flower's stigma, which is only a few millimetres in size. Kabugho Sabina from Kasese, Uganda, and thousands of vanilla farmers like her are still using the Albius technique today. And it's thanks to Kabugho's reading glasses that she's able to continue growing vanilla as her vision deteriorates with age. But it's not about the eyeglasses. It's about what comes after. With clear vision, Kabugho has increased her productivity and earning potential, and will be able to continue to work independently for the foreseeable future. If you are not already part of our journey to share the wonder of clear vision with farmers like Kabugho, please consider supporting or partnering with VisionSpring. Your support will help our Livelihoods in Focus initiative on its path to correcting the vision of 8 million agricultural workers and artisans in South Asia and Africa, unlocking more than $1 billion in income earning potential. Join us! #Eye #Health #Productivity #Income

Last week's #SkollWF called to mind the famous research by social scientist Simone Schnall, who discovered that when we're surrounded by friends and allies, we literally perceive challenges as less daunting - hills appear less steep when we're not facing them alone.   The energy that the Skoll Foundation team cultivates is electric! Connecting with so many ambitious changemakers has sent us into Q2 with renewed clarity and collective courage to tackle the work ahead.   A heartfelt thank you to the incredible Skoll Foundation team for hosting, and to everyone who made time to connect with us in Oxford. The conversations with both new and old friends were truly the highlight of our experience! Appleseed Whitten & Roy Partnership Solutions Insights Lab Livelihood Impact Fund Spring Impact Last Mile Health Mulago Jasmine Social Investments  Montpelier Foundation (UK) Grand Challenges Canada and many more not pictured! #SkollWF #SocialEntrepreneurship

Thank you Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation for hosting Abimbola 'Bimbo' Ogundirahun to your podcast! Abimbola, Country Manager for VisionSpring Nigeria, joined the conversation to discuss the need for greater access to eyecare and how our partnership with ACT Foundation is helping bring clear vision to more people across the country. She was joined by Ernest Eseka, HR Manager at Olam Agri, where we conducted vision screenings and dispensed eyeglasses to transport workers in their supply chain. Through our See to be Safe program, we screened the vision of more than 50% of Olam's professional drivers, who can now continue to "deliver products with a smile" – and stay safe on the roads. Use the link in the comments to watch the full episode! #Nigeria #Eye #Health #Safety #SocialEntrepreneurship

Anshu Taneja, Managing Director of VisionSpring Foundation, takes the stage today at the Marmalade Festival in Oxford today! If you're in Oxford this week and work in healthcare, education, livelihoods, or micro-entrepreneurship, let’s connect and explore how clear vision can amplify your impact. Drop a comment or reach out to us to schedule some time. #SkollWF #SocialEntrepreneurship

Are you heading to Skoll World Forum next week? So are we! From April 1 - 4, VisionSpring team members will be in Oxford to connect, collaborate, and explore new ways to expand access to clear vision around the world. Meet the team attending: - Jordan Kassalow (Founder) - Ella Gudwin (CEO) - Vipul Bhagat (Board Chair) - Anshu Taneja (Managing Director, India) - Gabriel Ogunyemi (Africa Regional Director) - Nafis Islam (Vice President, Resource Mobilization) - Michael Cooke (Global Director, MERL) - Erica DeKranes (Associate Director, Resource Mobilization) - Samantha Dew (Technical Writer, Programs) If you work in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, micro-entrepreneurship, or livelihoods, we would love to chat about how integrating eyeglasses can amplify your impact in the communities you serve. Drop a comment or reach out to us to schedule some time with Team VisionSpring. Skoll Foundation #Skoll #SkollWF #SocialEntrepreneurship

In just one week, Skoll Foundation World Forum kicks off in Oxford! Will you be there? Let's meet! If you work in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, micro-entrepreneurship, or livelihoods, we would love to chat about how integrating eyeglasses can amplify your impact in the communities you serve. Drop a comment or reach out to us to schedule some time with Team VisionSpring. See you soon! #Skoll #SkollWF #SocialEntrepreneurship

Happy World Optometry Day! Today, we celebrate all our optometrists and frontline eyecare workers who make our mission possible. On the run-up to this special day, we have highlighted 4 VisionSpring optometrists: Kumari, Sadia, Charles, and Bhavyashree. They are part of a wider network of more than 60 optometrists and 100 more vision access team members who bring clear vision to communities across Asia and Africa. Thanks to them, we are able to screen the vision of more than 2 million people every year. Swipe along to learn the stories of just a few of our vision champions. #WorldOptometryDay2025 #SocialEntrepreneurship #India #Bangladesh #Ghana #Eye #Health

"I remember a single mother of three who inspired me. She worked at a coffee estate during the day and spent the rest of her time taking care of her children. She told me her new glasses would finally allow her to help her kids with their homework." This week VisionSpring is celebrating optometrists – like Bhavyashree – and all team members involved in conducting sight tests and eye exams for more than 2 million people every year. From organizing vision camps to ensuring every pair of eyeglasses is a perfect fit, we are grateful to our entire team and their commitment to making clear vision accessible to all. Thank you for all you do! #WorldOptometryDay2025 #SocialEntrepreneurship #India #Eye #Health

"I will always remember a visit to a screening camp in Kasese, Uganda, where I was struck by the resilience of our customers. It had started raining heavily and I thought the camp was over, but to my surprise, customers were still in the queue waiting to be screened. It highlighted the immense value that our customers place on eye care, and the critical role VisionSpring plays in increasing access to affordable eyeglasses in remote communities." This week VisionSpring is celebrating optometrists – like Charles – and all team members involved in conducting sight tests and eye exams for more than 2 million people every year. From organizing vision camps to ensuring every pair of eyeglasses is a perfect fit, we are grateful to our entire team and their commitment to making clear vision accessible to all. Thank you for all you do! #WorldOptometryDay2025 #SocialEntrepreneurship #Ghana #Eye #Health