why Rwanda

There are 10 million people in Rwanda and only 4 optometrists and 10 ophthalmologists. Nearly 85% of the population live in rural areas where existing eye care services and their corresponding infrastructure are particularly limited. Further to this, 57% of Rwandans live below the poverty line, making eyeglasses a luxury most cannot afford.

Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Health of the Government of Rwanda, as a signatory to the global initiative of ‘Vision2020 – the Right to Sight’, is committed to universal eyeglasses coverage as described in its National Plan for Eliminating Needless Blindness.

Rwanda has strong political support for development, with the goal of becoming a middle-income country by the year 2020, making the country a priority among donors and an ideal candidate for the Vision for a Nation programme. Further to this, Rwanda's extensive network of 60,000 community health workers - along with teachers - are best placed to promote eyecare in their villages and schools respectively, a distinct advantage for achieving a nationwide screening programme.

The Government of Rwanda has endorsed the Vision for a Nation program and the distribution of eyeglasses as part of the implementation of its national eye care plan.