A Milestone Collaboration on World Sight Day
In a landmark joint effort timed to World Sight Day, the Roger Federer Foundation and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation completed their first outreach program in Zambia, delivering essential vision care to thousands of schoolchildren. The initiative, focused on early education communities in Mazabuka, Mbala, and Nyimba districts, screened more than 2,700 children and provided prescription eyewear or sunglasses to over 200 beneficiaries on-site at participating schools. The effort is part of broader NGO activity in partnership with local education programs and community schools, including the Reformed Open Community Schools (ROCS) and Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS).
From Screenings to Sustainable Support
The pilot project marks the first formal collaboration between the foundations, combining the Roger Federer Foundation’s extensive work in Zambia’s education sector with the global vision-care expertise of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation. The initiative leverages the Federer Foundation’s School Readiness Initiative, which already supports 1,900 community schools across all 10 provinces, to connect students with vital vision services that underpin learning outcomes.
Roger Federer, founder of the foundation and a longtime ambassador of its mission, underscored the link between sight and learning: “Good vision was essential to everything I did on court. But for children, it’s about something even more important—their education and their future. I’m proud that through this partnership, we can help give thousands of learners in Zambia the vision care they need to see clearly, stay focused in school, and reach their potential.”
How the Partnership Operates
The collaboration divides responsibilities to maximize impact and efficiency. The Roger Federer Foundation and its local partners facilitated access to schools, coordinated with teachers, and supported mobilization efforts to recruit students for screenings. The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation conducted the actual vision screenings and eyewear dispensing, while also supplying equipment and data collection tools. A consolidated evaluation report will be produced to guide ongoing and future outreach in Zambia and beyond.
Early learnings from the initial outreach are shaping the next phase, which will introduce teacher training as a central pillar. The plan is for teachers to conduct basic vision checks, recognize signs of potential problems, and facilitate timely referrals to vision centers. Vision screenings will become embedded into school enrollment processes, creating a sustainable system that identifies and addresses vision issues at the earliest possible stage.
Looking Ahead: A Scalable Vision for Education
“Good vision is one of the most powerful enablers of learning and opportunity,” said Anurag Hans, head of mission, EssilorLuxottica and president of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation. “By joining forces with the Roger Federer Foundation, we are ensuring that children in Zambia can fully participate in education and unlock their potential.” The partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that quality vision care becomes a reality for every child, everywhere.
The Roger Federer Foundation, established in 2003, continues to champion early learning in six African countries as well as Switzerland. Its approach emphasizes empowerING educators through a tablet-based system and mobilizing communities to support pre-primary education, all aligned with SDG 4.2 to guarantee access to quality early childhood development and education by 2030.
As the program evolves, the teams behind these foundations aim to broaden the reach, refine screening protocols, and ensure that corrective eyewear remains accessible for schoolchildren across rural regions. This collaborative model could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in other countries, advancing child health and education through integrated vision care.
