Restore eye sight & worth of rural poor in Uganda

Today, 18^th March 2025, we are delighted to dispatch 100 pieces of Foster Grant Reading Glasses to GAF Eye Health Foundation, a charity based in Namisindwa District in Eastern Uganda; and  for onward distribution to persons from disadvantaged communities with sight challenges. 

GAF is delivering eyecare services to remote and marginalized communities at the grassroots level.  Serving the three districts of Namisindwa, Manafwa and Bududa in Eastern Uganda; and parts of Western Kenya.

This is how it so happened to be that we, at CPAR Uganda, are collaborating with GAF to achieve our mission of buiilding healthy communities. Last month, February 2025, we received an email from the Director of Medibiotics, with the following pitch:

“CPAR Uganda, I introduce to you Medibiotics, a company that has a mission to bridge cost and genuine quality products in the medical sector in Uganda. We are currently reaching out to actors like you, with an offer of high quality, genuine FDA approved Foster Grant reading glasses from USA, at a very affordable price not found anywhere in Uganda. The glasses are in the Focal of 2.0+ to 4.00+.”

First, we are delighted that our organisation is recognized among the actors. The word is spreading about our intention and ongoing fundraising to “enable people from disadvantaged communities in rural Uganda to access eyecare services.”

Before going ahead, with our first purchase, however, we needed to verify. We sent an email to our Dr. A in Karamoja. She who inspired us to get involved in contributing to restoring eyesight and worth of rural poor in Uganda and she who strengthened our belief that every little bit counts. We forwarded to Dr. A the email from the company, with a query:

“Is this legit? Might this be a useful thing to invest in buying and giving out reading glasses? 

Dr. A advised:

“It looks like a great deal. Many people are in need of reading glasses but cannot access them easily. The only problem with such affordable glasses is usually the poor quality of the frames which break easily. So, yes, it would be good if I take a look at their samples, not pictures but physically.”

This is all we needed. We swung into action verifying the quality and when satisfied, we purchased from Medibiotics our first order of 100 pieces of reading glasses for onward gifting to those among rural poor communities who need them, but are doing without, because they cannot afford to buy them.

We then reached out to the Chief Executive Officer of GAF, a Clinical Officer, who had prior reached out to us requesting collaboration. He assured us that our donation of reading glasses would be “of impact to our underserved communities as accessing them is difficult.”

To all, such as Dr. A, who volunteer your advisory expertise that is enabling us to make important decisions on how best to make an impact, we are indebted to you. To each and everyone who has made a financial donation and gifted restoration of sight, we thank you.

We continue to need financial support from you. Llittle by little, together we make a difference. Please continue to help us suppport eye doctors and clinical officers, such as the CEO of GAF, with the necessary material, medicines, equipment and other resources that they need to facilitate them to go to the people, through community outreaches. Please make a donation and also help us to spread the word to others in your network to donate.

We look forward to sharing with you our next field report with beneficiary stories from those who received the first batch of 100 reading glasses that your support enabled us to gift.

Links:

• GAF Annual Medical Camp 2024
• 100 Foster Grant Quality Reading Glasses Received in Namisindwa