OneDollarGlasses: New perspectives for 150 million people

Beaming with joy, Salomy from Malawi puts on her new glasses: "Suddenly I can see everything very clearly! A long time ago, a doctor told her she should buy a pair of glasses. However, her parents could not afford the equivalent of 30 euros for glasses from an optician. That's why Salomy always copied from her seatmate at school. "I am so happy that I can now read what is written on the blackboard myself. I want to study law one day and I have to have good grades."

Faulty vision has consequences - for a lifetime

In this way, the OneDollarGlasses create new perspectives for the future - not only for Salomy, but for people of all ages and in different living conditions. According to a WHO study, around 150 million people in the world suffer from a correctable refractive error, but cannot afford conventional glasses and usually have no access to opticians. The consequences often last a lifetime: Children cannot follow lessons, adults cannot hold down skilled jobs or even work at all. The estimated loss of income that results from this is around 120 billion US dollars per year - roughly the volume of annual global development aid.

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Simple solution to a big problem

Martin Aufmuth, founder and board member of the organisation EinDollarBrille e.V., has developed a well thought-out and practicable solution to this problem: The EinDollarBrille! They consist of an extremely light, flexible and stable spring steel frame and are produced on site on a simple bending machine. The material costs for one pair of glasses are around one US dollar; the sales price is two to three local daily wages. This means that even very poor people can afford the glasses. The proceeds from the sale of the glasses are used to pay salaries in the country and to buy materials for new glasses - a sustainable business model designed for long-term financial independence.

Goal: Basic optical care in developing countries

In addition, local specialists in the project countries are trained in the production and sale of the OneDollarGlasses as well as in simple refraction and new jobs are created. In this way, EinDollarBrille creates a variety of new prospects for the future for needy people of all ages! The organisation EinDollarBrille e.V. is currently active in Africa (Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Malawi) and Latin America (Bolivia, Brazil, Mexico), with other countries to follow. The goal: a worldwide supply of high-quality, affordable, robust and individually fitted glasses - and financially independent basic optical care for the population in developing countries.

"The organisation EinDollarBrille is committed to sustainably improving the living conditions of people in developing countries, while at the same time focusing on the fields of health, education and economic development," explains Aufmuth. "OneDollarGlasses can significantly improve the future prospects of children who are still at school and whose parents cannot afford normal glasses.“

At the same time, the organisation wants to make a contribution to combating the causes of flight such as the lack of economic prospects: "To this end, we have not only developed a training concept for the production and sale of our OneDollarGlasses as well as for OneDollarGlass opticians, but are now employing more and more people in the project countries - who in turn often feed an entire family. We want to continue this commitment on a broader basis in the coming years; to this end, we are looking forward to more active comrades-in-arms, partners and supporters."

Yo want to support OneDollarGlasses?

If you would like to support the OneDollarGlasses initiative, you will find the details of the donation account and the press contact below.

Donation bank account:
Sparkasse Erlangen
IBAN: DE56 7635 0000 0060 0444 15
Further information: www.eindollarbrille.de

Press:
EinDollarBrille e.V.
Obere Karlstraße 29
91054 Erlangen

E-Mail: presse@onedollarglasses.org
Claudia Wittwer (Press speaker)
Mobil: +49 171 3136 192
Claudia.Wittwer@onedollarglasses.org)

Pictures of this site ©Martin Aufmuth & Wolgang Cüppers/EinDollarBrille e.V.

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