Last updated: 8/9/2023
The Founder and brain behind this organisation is Dr. Bismark Owusu-Afriyie, a Ghanaian-trained optometrist who is also studying MSc Clinical Optometry at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. He has work experience in different countries and continents, contributing significantly to the elimination of avoidable blindness in developing countries.
His desire to serve soceity and a natural aptitude for science and health convinced him that optometry was the most fitting career for him especially when there are few eye care professionals in his country and continent. He entered into the University of Cape Coast to study a six-year Doctor of Optometry programme in the year 2008. During the World Sight Day in 2010, he, together with other students from his department embarked on an educational trip to the Akropong School for the Blind. During the visit, he realised that the materials, tools and equipment available for academic work in the school were inadequate. Most of the parents could not afford them and hence, the students mostly relied on donations from individuals and groups. His passion for eye health intensified upon witnessing and hearing these challenges surrounding blindness and visual impairment in the society. He quizzed himself by asking the rhetorical question “what could be done to prevent avoidable blindness in our communities?” It is a fact that majority of the blind people in most societies are unable to acquire any formal education or skills to be employed, and they usually need other people to help them carry out their basic daily activities.
He later shared his experience with some friends and colleague students to form a group which will provide quality eye care to communities and institutions, and to tackle issues of preventable blindness especially in deprived places. Many of the people discouraged him due to the cost involved and how huge the task would be. However, the idea was welcomed by a few friends in the campus church who showed similar concerns for humanity. They formed the group, Global Sight Foundation (now World Eye Foundation), which was registered on the University campus in 2012.
It is worth stating that the foundation started on the university campus, and though it has a Christian background, our activities are not restricted to Christians alone. The brethren who shared in the vision and formed the organisation are: Ms Millicent Missah, Ms Elsie Hayfron, Ms Lydia Kafui Bonnie, Mr. Kenneth Quansah, Dr. John Nyarko, Mr. Richard Lawson, Ms Juliana Mensah, Ms Justina Karikari who were all students at that time. Dr. Samuel Kyei, who was a lecturer and the registration officer at the Department of Optometry at that time served as the patron.
In April 2013, the group took a giant step to register the foundation at the Registrar General’s Department in Ghana. This was done to acquire recognition and to extend activities and benefits to other parts of the country. The name was changed from Global Sight Foundation to World Eye Foundation because the former name was not available. The motto “Providing Eye Care for the World” shows the foundation’s agenda to provide quality and accessible eye care across the globe and to the less advantaged and deprived communities without discrimination.
In the nutshell, World Eye Foundation is a non-governmental organization founded by Dr. Bismark Owusu-Afriyie. The foundation seeks to provide eye care to the entire world and help prevent avoidable blindness in vulnerable populations. Considering that majority of blindness are avoidable and preventable, our focus is to help eradicate these preventable blinding conditions and make our world a better and productive place.