VisionSpring India partner, Villgro Fellow 2010, Jeanne Chen argued in a recent blog post that a gender gap exists in the adoption of technologies at the base of they pyramid. She suggested that according to her observations, VisionSpring’s customers are skewed in favor of men because women lack disposable income and find glasses aesthetically unappealing.

VisionSpring is grateful to our important partner, Villgro for working on our behalf and ensuring women and men adopt our products equally. It is through such partnerships that we continue to improve our operating model and spread our impact. We welcome the questions like those raised by Jeanne Chen so that we can continue to innovate both our products and services to better serve consumers at the Base of the Pyramid.

In her post, Chen asserts that social enterprises need to be conscientious of the gender gap in innovation adoption and evaluate the impact of their interventions to overcome this gap – we agree. VisionSpring trains our Vision Entrepreneurs to conduct screenings and provide eye care solutions to all genders. According to our sales records in India last year, VisionSpring customers were roughly 52% male and 48% female – only slightly in favor of men. Despite this statistic, Chen raises two critical issues for VisionSpring to consider.

First, Chen argues that women are less likely to wear glasses because they consider eyeglasses aesthetically unappealing. To address this, she recommends including women in the sourcing of glasses. As a market-driven organization, VisionSpring recognizes the importance of understanding the needs and desires of all intended users of our products, including women. We have learned that by listening to the consumer we have a higher adoption and usage rate of the product. For this reason, VisionSpring utilizes our Visions Entrepreneurs to gather feedback regarding frame styles and selection and the sales of our products reinforce what works for our customers. VisionSpring local staff collect this information and use it to make sourcing decisions. For example, VisionSpring created protector glasses, which are sunglasses with clear, UV protected lens, specifically to address the cultural preferences of some women to avoid shading their eyes. Though we are not perfect, like other consumer businesses, VisionSpring does its best to accommodate the widely varied tastes of our customers.

Second, Chen notes that women are less likely to have disposable income and economic means to purchase glasses. As she recommends, our Vision Entrepreneurs emphasize to customers the importance of preserving vision for economic productivity. Part of the challenge of selling this product is demonstrating to customers that purchasing reading glasses is an important investment for economic wellbeing of the family unit. One of our primary goals is to increase awareness about vision loss in the developing world and a large part of our outreach is done through vision campaigns in which our Vision Entrepreneurs not only screen vision loss, but also educate the general population about how restoring their vision can restore their productivity.

One customer in rural India, Shadna had been supporting her family for years after her husband died. As her vision deteriorated, she was unable to continue her work as a seamstress and had to labor in the fields earning too little to support her family. She tells VisionSpring, “I heard that a Vision Entrepreneur would be in my town, and even though I did not have money to spare, I went because the vision screening was free. I saw that the glasses they had were good quality, and I decided that they were worth the cost. I am back to my sewing now and making the same money as before. I am happy that I once again have a way to support my children.”

Stories like Shadna’s reinforce the power of awareness of our services and of vision care to women and men in the community. We thank Jeanne Chen and Villgro for holding us accountable to ensuring women are able to adopt the important technologies they need. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration on behalf of all consumers at the Base of the Pyramid.

The first-of-its-kind study commissioned by AMD Alliance International estimates that the global economic cost of visual impairment is estimated at a staggering US$2,954 billion in 2010 for the 733 million people living with low vision and blindness worldwide in 2010. Even more importantly, these costs are set to rise dramatically through to 2020 unless effective prevention and treatment strategies are adopted worldwide. This global cost includes direct health care cost expenditure, lost productivity and informal caregiver time.

The findings of the report emphasize the need to elevate vision as a global health and economic development issue. According to their estimates, more than half of all sight-loss globally occurs due to uncorrected refractive error, which is treatable with basic pairs of reading and/or distance lenses.

Recommendations

The study advances five recommendations to reduce the global burden of visual impairment, which emphasize broadening availability of affordable eye ware to correct refractive error. Additional recommendations include availability of cataract screenings and surgery in developing regions, funding and treatment of river blindness, increased glaucoma screenings for at-risk populations including seniors and those with diabetes.

Each of these recommendations, however, rests on an existing vision care infrastructure of each region, highlighting the critical importance of the availability of first-line vision care. In end of the road communities where VisionSpring operates, accessing vision care can require a full day trip to a city clinic – costing individuals a full day’s wages and travel expenses. By bringing vision care to these communities, VisionSpring hopes to be part of the larger process of developing the infrastructure of vision care systems in the developing world.

Awareness

One comment we repeatedly hear from new customers is that they had no idea that correcting their blurry up-close vision (or the headaches, neck strains and slow productivity caused by it) could be so easy and inexpensive. Had they been aware of the benefits relative to the cost, they might have resolved their vision problems years prior. For years, our Vision Entrepreneurs have referred customers whose vision required further attention to an optometrist or eye hospital – opening the door for a customer to feel empowered to treat vision issues he was once resigned to living with. Further, seeking the solution to age-onset blurry vision can lead to the discovery of a greater vision concerns such as cataracts, that while unable to treat patients directly, our Vision Entrepreneurs can help to diagnose and assist patients in locating treatment. Raising awareness of the treatment options available to those suffering with vision problems is a critical component of addressing these global costs – an issue our Vision Entrepreneurs tackle every day.

About AMDAI

AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration) Alliance International is the only international organization in the world dedicated exclusively to promoting awareness, treatment and research into macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in the developed world. It is a membership organization comprised of the worlds’ leading vision, seniors and research organizations from 25 countries.

The AMD Alliance International study and executive summary are available here.

VisionSpring was highlighted on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric last night!

The CBS Evening News team traveled to Rajasthan to learn the moving story of Ranju Sharma, whose work as a Vision Entrepreneur was so well respected that she was the first woman ever nominated to run for village chief.

Watch our powerful three minute CBS Evening News segment, “Eyesight for Sore Eyes”!

VisionSpring was lucky to have four MBA students from the Ross School of Business MAP program assess the pilot of our new business model in Santa Ana, El Salvador. In the third MAP Team Report, David Turner reports on his unique, non-verbal, approach to the project.

The old El Salvadorian proverb, “No hay mal que por bien no venga,”* means many things to many people. To me it means nothing, because I do not speak Spanish. This must have been a big problem, right? Trying to understand and develop a model for the culture when you do not speak the language? My experience suggests that good can indeed come from perceived handicaps, if you are creative.

True I have made limited contributions to our focus groups with go-to phrases, “uno mas cerveza” and “hace calor fuera”, but I have observed El Salvador’s people and culture in a different way. When you are not preoccupied with petty things like listening and speaking, there is plenty of time for observing people and their interactions.

One of the first things I noticed at the vision campaigns I attended was the importance of family. Half the people at campaigns were accompanying family members. One family spanning three generations commuted two hours just to help grandpa pick his frame. This theme of family first resurfaced consistently.

At our focus groups every participant picked family members when asked to identify their three most trusted confidants. When testing a new slogan we had a picture of a family next to one of the choices and—surprise, surprise— that slogan was the most popular. This is an important insight into the decision making process of Salvadorians.

After one month in El Salvador, the number of Spanish words in my vocabulary has sky rocketed from five to a whopping one-hundred. However, by observing mannerisms and interactions, I was able to contribute to marketing and sales strategies with a unique perspective. According to the internet sources, 90% of communication is non-verbal. After this experience I can believe it. Unfortunately that 90% has yet to result in me correctly ordering fajitas without onions! I guess there’s still a reason to lean Spanish.

*Translation: There is no bad from which good does not come.

VisionSpring is lucky to have four MBA students from the Ross School of Business MAP program assessing the pilot of our new business model in Santa Ana, El Salvador. In the second MAP Team Report, Janelle Hailey reports on her inspirational experience getting to know VisionSpring’s customers.

Warmth. Courage. Perseverance. This is what I feel all around me in Santa Ana. I have been in Santa Ana a little over two weeks now, and I remain continuously awed by the people of this country who make up VisionSprings’ customer base.

I met a young man named Alex. He told me that he can see the details that make up the beauty of a flower in his hand, but can’t see read words from more than a few feet away. Alex wants his vision to improve, but as a professional soccer player his obstacle is finding the time to travel to where there are affordable glasses during the season, to or the money to take care of his vision when he is not working.

I met a woman named Maria who is a housewife or “Ama de Casa.” She takes great pride in taking care of her children, but has trouble helping her kids with their homework. Maria’s eyes sometimes water while reading and today she told me that they were incredibly red in the morning. She would get an exam if there were more affordable options for her.

These two stories are similar to many of those shared with me by the Santa Ana community. Hearing their concerns, their hopes, and their courage makes me incredibly excited and humbled to contribute to VisionSpring mission with the launch of its new business model.

VisionSpring 3.0 incorporates an urban optical shop that sells affordable distance glasses into its existing mode as a “hub” for VisionSpring’s “spokes “, i.e. our market-creating Vision Entrepreneurs working in rural regions. Latin-America Partner Manager, Caroline Misan, recently returned from the pilot of this new model and brought two short videos shot during one of the successful Vision Campaigns in Sant Ana.

Country Director, Heidy Serpas (seen in the videos) works with customers to select their frames. With a great understanding of what styles are popular in the region, Heidy’s expertise has resulted in highly positive response to our frame selection. During the first four campaigns, VisionSpring sold more than 140 pairs of prescription lenses.

Watch as customers choose among the selection of frames in consultation with Heidy and their families:

SEEING THE CHALLENGE

VisionSpring’s microfranchise model for selling reading glasses has proven to be uniquely successful at delivering a basic consumer product for increased self-reliance to end-of-the-road communities, generating awareness for eye care, and growing VisionSpring’s brand. Over the last few years, however, VisionSpring has struggled with a host of challenges that ultimately make it difficult to reach cost-recovery with this model.

1) With a sole focus on reading glasses, it is difficult for Vision Entrepreneurs to earn a living. Many can drop out or decrease their efforts over time after their initial, easy-to-reach market is saturated.
2) Rural populations are spread out and therefore time-consuming and expensive to reach.
3) Reading glasses are a high-touch, low-margin product.

RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGE

This past February, VisionSpring El Salvador launched the pilot of a new business model that addresses these significant constraints. This model incorporates a VisionSpring optical shop into our existing networks of Vision Entrepreneurs, enabling VisionSpring to sell distance glasses for the first time. Our Vision Entrepreneurs continue to play a critical role in this model by generating awareness and selling on-the-spot reading glasses, yet they now have the opportunity to earn more income through referrals and receiving a portion of sales from distance glasses.

Expected benefits of the project are as follows:

Expanded Service Provision

Adding distance glasses to the program would dramatically expand VisionSpring’s service-provision. Instead of addressing 50% of eye care problems for those aged 35-60, with this model VisionSpring hopes to to service 75-85% of their needs (the remaining consist of more complictaed refractive and non-refractive problems ). Along with enabling VisionSpring to reach those who need distance glasses to work and earn a living, this model would also to provide children with the clear vision they need to learn and earn their way out of poverty.

Increased Sustainability

By providing glasses in more densely populated zones, VisionSpring can provide a viable alternative to high-priced, independent optical shops. The VisionSpring optical shop aims to serve as a central location for rural customers to come for low-cost distance glasses, as well as a hub for VisionSpring to serve poor customers living in more dense markets. The higher margin distance glasses VisionSpring provides in this model (still affordable to BoP customers) have the potential to increase VisionSpring’s sustainability, as well as increase Vision Entrepreneur income and lower Vision Entrepreneur attrition.

EARLY RESULTS

In the coming six months, VisionSpring will closely analyze the results from the pilot in Santa Ana. Early indicators, however, are promising. In the first four vision campaigns at VisionSpring’s optical shop, more than 140 pairs of prescription lenses were sold. Customers happily waited in lines for hours to purchase their first pair of affordable, quality eyeglasses.

VisionSpring is lucky to have four MBA students from the Ross School of Business MAP program assessing the pilot of our new business model in El Salvador. The MBAs arrived in Santa Ana, El Salvador last week. During their time with us, VisionSpring will post the impressions of our four students on Business in a Bag. In the first post, Stephanie Osborn reports on the patience Vision Entrepreneurs exhibit cultivating customers in regions where eye care has never before been accessible.

We have had the opportunity to observe several campaigns, the community gatherings where the Vision Entrepreneurs perform eye exams and sell reading glasses. Whether there are eight people from the community present or fifty, I have been struck by the level of individual attention that the VEs give each customer. People come from all over the area surrounding Santa Ana, seeking not only an eye exam but some sort of explanation about what exactly is happening in their eyes. They want to know why their vision is cansada, or tired, and why they need this specific type of glasses. People come looking for answers.

The VEs never seem to lose their patience or rush a customer. They make sure that each person gets his or her questions answered. During one campaign, a VE named Noel explained to an elderly woman why she needed to take better care of her eyes so that she could continue to live a full life and not go blind. The woman began to cry. Noel immediately began to comfort her, sitting down on the bench beside her. He kept speaking with us until she calmed down and understood that he was trying to help her. I was impressed with how he listened to the elderly woman and answered her questions; this sort of attention and care is very different from the clinical and fast-paced medical experience in the United States.

This is not to say, however, that the eye exams performed at the campaigns are any less thorough than those in the U.S. People leave the VisionSpring campaigns with glasses or a referral to an optometrist in the Santa Ana office. The customers seem very happy with their new frames and renewed vision. I continually notice that the VEs do not only give out glasses, but answers as well; the personal attention given to each customer is incredibly important because it makes the VEs part of the communities that they serve. There are perhaps more answers to be found in this process than simply those that the VEs offer their patients.

-Stephanie Osborn

The Fraserview Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vancouver recently selected VisionSpring as its inspiration for the production of a claymation video. The video, made by a group of elementary-school students, highlights VisionSpring’s work promoting self-reliance and economic productivity using the story of a guide dog struggling with blurry vision.

VisionSpring in Claymation from elizabeth kaplan on Vimeo.

We couldn’t be more excited to see this animated interpretation of our work! A sincere thanks to these creative young people!

About The Fraserview Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver

Founded in 1936 and incorporated as a charitable organization in 1938, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver (BGCGV) provides a wide range of social, health, educational and recreational services to assist young people in their growth and development. Summer camp, low-cost recreational programs, alcohol and drug abuse counselling, after-school drop in programs and parent support are just a few of the programs provided on seasonal and daily basis to over 6,000 youth and families by core staff and over 1,200 volunteers.

To learn more about BGCGV

In the February 14, 2010 edition of Parade Magazine, VisionSpring Founder and CEO, Dr. Jordan Kassalow recounts what sparked his ‘eureka’ moment, where he discovered the enormous need for vision care at the base of the pyramid. Dr. Kassalow also sat down with Entrepreneur Magazine (March, 2010) to discuss how the organization grew from an idea to a global enterprise that operates in eleven countries with a corps of more than five thousand entrepreneurs.

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Kassalow’s interview in Parade:

Why did you start VisionSpring?
When I was an optometry student, I volunteered in Mexico and met a 7-year-old boy at a school for the blind. All he needed was the right glasses. When I put them on him, his face changed from a blank stare into this incredible, animated, beautiful smile. It changed his life—and mine.

How does the program work?
So many people in underprivileged areas lose their livelihoods as they age because they can’t afford the glasses they need to see their work. At the same time, millions of women need a way to support themselves. We decided to train women to start small businesses selling glasses to their neighbors at a price they can afford. We began with 18 women and currently have more than 5000 selling glasses from Ghana to El Salvador.

To take VisionSpring and the growing corps of Vision Entrepreneurs to the next level, the organization needed to develop a scalable and replicable model. In “The Vision Thing,”Jason Daley of Entrepreneur Magazine describes the solution – VisionSpring’s innovative microfranchisie model, which lies at the heart of VisionSpring’s global impact:

“Microfranchising works essentially like any franchise system. A locally based franchise partner—usually a local NGO or corporation with a strong local presence, signs up “vision entrepreneurs,” 95 percent of whom are women, who receive a “business in a bag” including glasses, eye charts and three days of training. They then travel from village to village marketing and selling the reading glasses for what typically amounts to 10 percent of a month’s salary. It’s a win-win-win situation—the franchisors put back whatever revenues they get from consignment sales to fund more entrepreneurs; the sellers create a viable livelihood; and workers in remote villages have access to glasses that might not reach them otherwise.”

Check out the full articles to hear more insights from VisionSpring’s founder:

Parade Magazine
Entrepreneur Magazine