Status: Approved Jun 2008
Since: new
VisionSpring
Leadership
Problem
 Dr. Jordan Kassalow, founder & chairman,
is an optometrist with an entrepreneurial
streak and a master’s in public health. Built
and sold chain of optometry stores. Founder
of Global Health Policy Program at Council
on Foreign Relations. Received Draper
Richards Fellowship, Aspen Institute’s
Henry Crown Fellowship.
 Over 700 million of the world’s poor have failing
up-close vision, which means they are at risk of
losing their livelihoods because they can’t sew,
sort coffee beans, or cut hair.
 2005: $445,093
 2006: $858,879
 Correct the vision of presbyopic (far-sighted)
people in poverty by providing market access to
affordable reading glasses.
Stats
Donations
 2004: $289,648
Mission
 Glasses sold:
147,613
Concept
 Active vision
entrepreneurs: 867
Woman takes eye exam in India
Analysis
 Reading glasses -- similar to the kind sold on carousel racks in
pharmacies and grocery stores in the U.S. -- can make the difference
between earning an income or falling into destitution. Many of the world’s
poor rely on their close-up vision to make a living; these glasses extend
their productivity and protect their livelihoods and families.
 Effective intervention at a cost that will be driven down as the program
is scaled and partner organizations like BRAC and Freedom from
Hunger implement the system within their existing sales channels.
 $50k grant to hire a Franchise Partner Manager to develop
relationships with organizations in Bangladesh and eastern India that
want to implement VisionSpring’s business-in-a-bag for vision
entrepreneurs.
 Long-term plan to introduce additional vision and development
products for the poor thru this distribution channel.
$2.50
$2.50
COGS/pair of glasses
$2.00
Pairs of glasses sold
 Offering products that are otherwise
unavailable or unaffordable to the poor.
 Deploy franchise business model and replicate
system with NGO and business partners with
existing sales forces or microfinance clients.
 Utilize founder’s contacts and optometry
expertise to source low-cost reading glasses from
China.
 VEs establish relationship with village chief,
publicize a “vision camp” to draw villagers for
vision screening, basic exam, and purchase.
Plan for Franchise Partner Manager
Revenue/pair of glasses
 Making it profitable for mobile
salespeople to sell in their communities.
 Establish proprietary network of “vision
entrepreneurs” with supply chain, training tools,
and management.
 Goal is to create a job that pays for itself by 2010 (see plan below).
10
 Use a market-based approach to increase
access to reading glasses:
Model
 Of that amount, $32k will be spent on training and equipping
500 salespeople through BRAC partnership in Bangladesh.
09
 Apply the “Avon Lady” sales model to train,
equip, and deploy individual merchants to sell
low-cost reading glasses in villages.
2009
2010
Profit from glasses
$3.6k
$6k
$2.00
Feasibility, pilot fees
$6k
$12k
7,200
12,000
Salary
($15k)
($15k)
Feasibility studies @ $3k
1
2
Travel
($3k)
($3k)
Pilot studies @ $3k
1
2
Profit / Loss
($8,400)
--
DWFF contact: Josh Kwan, Dir of Int’l Giving, joshkwan.dwff@gmail.com
Updated: 8/08. Site visit: 12/07 in India. www.visionspring.org
 Connect with local eye hospitals to make
referrals for cases requiring medical attention.
 Sell system to other partners: For fee, provide
training, products, and technical assistance.
Progress
 Launched in 2001 as corporate foundation of
Scojo New York, the optometry chain, with 5% of
pre-tax profits. Kassalow sold biz in 08, rebranded independent foundation as VisionSpring.
 Now in India, Bangladesh, Guatemala, El
Salvador, Ghana. Pilots in Paraguay, Nicaragua.