This year, Essilor’s social business in Brazil, Instituto Ver & Viver (IVV) and the Instituto Nissan, celebrate the third anniversary of their successful partnership which has brought vision correction to more than 40,000 people. To mark the occasion, they partnered with local NGO NAPRA who, since 1993 have been providing communities in the Amazon with basic healthcare services.
The first of its kind programme took place in São Carlos do Jamari, located on the banks of the Madeira River in the Amazon basin, home to 370 families who lack access to medical check-ups and education. Members of the surrounding communities including the RESEX Lago Cuniã and Nazaré were also invited to the screening events where two volunteer ophthalmologists screened almost 650 people. Over two thirds needed glasses.
Mrs Gracilene Souza, a 43-year-old, mother of six, and wife to canoe builder Mr. Geraldo, visited one of the events. Earning a modest income as a seamstress, Mrs Gracilene reported not being able to work as efficiently as she once had. She told the team: “It was very good you came here, I never had an appointment with an eye doctor and I know that I would not be able to buy glasses. Thank you so much for everything you are doing for us!”
Thanks to EÓtica, a local e-commerce company in the Essilor Group, Essilor Brazil’s Comprol Laboratory and the support of Insituto Nissan, everyone in need received a free pair of spectacles.
Since the beginning of their partnership, Instituto Nissan and IVV have brought many meaningful initiatives to the people of Brazil. By creating access to good vision, the partnership has helped reduce inequalities, helped people to learn and work better and increased road safety.
To celebrate the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, the two organizations launched the campaign “How do you see the world?”, screeing over 1,000 students and teachers in public sports schools and launching an inspiring video series featuring young athletes fulfilling their dreams.
Just last month we wrote about our joined efforts in Brazil to increase road safety by organizing mobile eye care clinics, easily accessible for professional drivers. At the clinics, drivers receive a comprehensive eye exam from an eye care professional and can then buy affordable glasses from a 2.5 New Vision Generation Vision Ambassador.
Through powerful partnership like this we will continue to improve lives by improving sight as we work to eliminate uncorrected poor vision from the world by 2050.