VisionSpring launched its first Franchise Partnership in Africa with Freedom from Hunger's Microbusiness in Health program. Freedom from Hunger is a nonprofit international development organization that brings innovative and sustainable self-help solutions to the fight against chronic hunger and poverty.

Freedom from Hunger trains local women to work as "Health Keepers" selling eyeglasses along with other high-impact health products, such as mosquito bed nets, oral rehydration salts, and condoms. HealthKeepers currently sell glasses in the impoverished regions of Bawjiase and Somanya.

VisionSpring and Freedom from Hunger aim to support a growing network of HealthKeepers to work in 80% of Ghana's rural villages by the year 2011.