Nouveau Eyewear kicked off a series of screenings in an effort to bring healthcare to more than 2,000 children in South Africa. Since its launch in April, the Bona Bolo (“see the ball”) campaign has gained momentum and brought much needed healthcare to over 650 children. With a goal of screening 2,020 youth by the end of the year, the project is well on its way to making a difference for thousands.
Eyecare More Than 60 Miles AwayMost recently, Nouveau partnered with the Dreamfields Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the game of soccer to rural South Africa. Together, the soccer team rode alongside students from the University of Limpopo School of Optometry for six hours to reach the remote city of Tjakastad. Children in this region must travel over 60 miles to see an optometrist. The distance alone discourages youth, along with families, from seeking preventive care. When coupled with the medical expenses, few children have the opportunity for regular screenings. With the help of the Bona Bolo project, almost 200 children received a free evaluation at this screening alone.
Nouveau Donated Frames, Essilor Donated Lenses
Volunteers and optometric students worked for five and a half hours to ensure that every participant received a thorough examination. Thirty children were found to require vision correction and received vouchers for free frames and prescription lenses. Nouveau donated
Umbro frames, a collection of eyewear geared toward the soccer enthusiast, and
Essilor donated prescription lenses.
In addition, Bona Bolo is made possible through the help of the
South African Optometric Association (SAOA) and Myoptics, the exclusive Umbro eyewear distributor in South Africa.
Without Bona Bolo, Eyecare Not AccessibleThe Bona Bolo project will continue to focus its efforts to help children who live in rural and semi-rural areas. According to Faith Chabedi, former president of the SAOA and the coordinator of Bona Bolo campaign, quality healthcare in the public sector is still developing and eyecare services are not accessible to all. Nearly 80% of the population is currently uninsured and many children live with uncorrected refractive errors and other eye conditions. Campaign leaders are working toward holding a fourth event at Bloemfontein in the Free State province.
For more information on the Bona Bolo screenings, please contact Faith Chabedi at 0823304691 or Karin Sears, vice president for International Marketing at Nouveau Eyewear, at 972-242-3633 ext. 211.
John Sailer is Senior Editor of First Vision Media Group. Contact feedback@visioncareventure.com with comments and/or suggestions for future topics. 
