about

The Vision for a Nation program was launched in 2009 with the ambitous goal of providing universal access to eyeglasses, starting in Rwanda. The programme is run and governed by Vision for a Nation Foundation, a UK based and registered charity

people

Executive Director: Sjoerd Hannema

Sjoerd Hannema joined Vision for a Nation in September 2009. Sjoerd holds a Master degree in Law from Leiden University, Holland, and has over 20 years of international experience in the consumer goods industry.

From 2006 until 2009 Sjoerd worked as Project Manager for the Dutch DOB Foundation. Prior to this he worked as a consultant to various international companies. In 1983 Sjoerd began his career with Heineken NV and has held Senior Management positions in Holland, Italy, Thailand and Hungary.

Country Director, Rwanda: Massimo Presente

Massimo Presente joined Vision for a Nation in January 2012. Massimo has more than 20 years of international development experience, working in various countries, including Ethiopia, India and China.

Massimo spent 8 years working for ORBIS International, an NGO devoted to blindness prevention with a special focus on childhood blindness in developing countries. Massimo has also worked for emergency relief and development organisations operating in Africa, and for UK charities working with children in the developing world.

Special Advisor: Julian Lambert

Julian joined Vision for a Nation in October 2009, on special leave from the UK Department for International Development, where he had worked since 1991 on African Health programs.

Prior to this Julian spent 20 years in the fields of public health and nutrition in Africa, Asia and the Pacific for a number of International NGOs, national governments and UN agencies. He is a graduate of Kings College, London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.