To read, one needs to see clearly. To draw and aspire to become the next Chéri Samba, one needs good vision. Yet, in Uganda, good vision is a challenge for children and adults alike. Getting an eye test and purchasing a pair of glasses are seen as luxuries in a country where there are few ophthalmologists, and the price of prescription glasses is too high for most.
Via our Youth Entrepreneurship Portfolio over the last five years USADF has invested more than $5 million dollars in over 250 early stage African social entrepreneurs.
Tell us about your work.
I started Wazi Vision to provide affordable, accessible eye care to everyone in Uganda. We offer eye tests and provide affordable and quality glasses made from recycled plastic. My social venture also creates valuable jobs for Ugandan women. The women manufacture the frames and custom assemble glasses, manage the logistics of delivery, and perform necessary eye tests in communities.
How are you contributing to social and economic justice?
Via employment, I am expanding opportunities for economic participation by training and hiring women to work with Wazi Vision. And through this, the women earn a fair and living wage. Our team members also collect recycled plastic that we use to create the frames of Wazi Vision's glasses, thus reducing the amount of waste in our communities. The cost of eye care and glasses in Uganda is exceptionally high, so by providing a sustainable, affordable alternative to current offerings, we're making healthcare more accessible to all Ugandans. Great vision and eyesight should be a right, not a privilege.
What inspired you to start this venture?
When I worked in consulting, I found myself having problems with my vision and went to get my eyes checked. It turned out I needed glasses, but even with health insurance, I found the cost of the prescription glasses, and specifically the frames, exorbitant. I asked myself, 'Why is the cost of simply being able to see so high? What can I do to make it more affordable?" I thought especially about the 5 million school children in Uganda and how critical it is to see well to foster academic success.
Perhaps if we could make the frames locally to cut down the cost of a pair of glasses, that would help children and families across the country. In my quest, I came across recycled plastic as a viable material to manufacture eyeglasses. The technology of the frames themselves hasn't changed much over the years, and using recycled materials would benefit both the environment and the customers looking to buy affordable glasses. With this in mind, I started Wazi Vision without a production facility or a 3-D printer. I just had a dream.
What is the biggest challenge you have overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Once, I had a contract to deliver materials out of Kampala with incredibly tight deadlines, which we struggled to make, given our capacity at the time. We had to work faster than usual, and it was challenging for my employees. They ended up going on strike – in the middle of our push to meet the contract deadline. In the end, I succeeded in negotiating with them to end the strike, but it was very challenging. We ended up hiring more people to meet the needs of the large order, and, since then, Wazi Vision's business has been growing.
What is the biggest challenge you are facing now with your venture?
Scale and structure. First, I am always looking to build our capacity. The eyeglass models we have designed and are producing serve their purposes now, but I know we can improve upon them with more research and better machinery so that it what I am looking to conquer next.
Second, running a social venture means I am always looking to both profitable business operations and increasing impact – for our customers, our team members, our supply chains, and the environment. Blended finance has helped us reach our current level of business. I would like to have more partnerships to support eye examinations so that I can reduce the cost for marginalized families. Additional partnerships will also allow me to provide lower-than-market prices for complete prescription eyeglasses.
What is the biggest challenge you are facing now with your venture?
Scale and structure. First, I am always looking to build our capacity. The eyeglass models we have designed and are producing serve their purposes now, but I know we can improve upon them with more research and better machinery so that it what I am looking to conquer next.
Second, running a social venture means I am always looking to both profitable business operations and increasing impact – for our customers, our team members, our supply chains, and the environment. Blended finance has helped us reach our current level of business. I would like to have more partnerships to support eye examinations so that I can reduce the cost for marginalized families. Additional partnerships will also allow me to provide lower-than-market prices for complete prescription eyeglasses.
Who have you partnered with to achieve this blended model?
Wazi Vision has worked with Coca-Cola and its recycling plant in Uganda as one supplier of recycled plastic for frames. Local restaurants and pubs also have supplied us with recyclables. We collaborate with schools and regional government offices and interact with local eye care centers to do vision tests.
What advice would you give to a young person starting her venture and wanting to make an impact?
Understand the goal of your product, but have a better understanding of the market. You need to create a product that people want to buy. Don't fall in love with the idea of your product or service and ignore the actual need for it on the market. Also, ask yourself, "is it a vitamin or a cure?" No matter what you succeed in or fail at, never forget to learn from the people around you. Everyone has something to teach you or share with you that will be valuable.
Where is Wazi Vision going?
My goal is for us to be the market leader in eyeglasses in Uganda. I want to reach as many people as possible and set a model for social impact and professionalism for others. This includes being one of the highest-paying employers in the country – and East Africa – while continuing to balance revenue and impact to maximize both and grow our profitable, sustainable business.
What is your dream for the world?
To create and sustain a world where no one struggles to meet their basic needs and afford to live. I know the difference that earning a fair, livable wage can make, and what economic empowerment can mean to people who have been struggling to put food on the table. I want a world where everyone has access to a job that allows them to take care of themselves and support their families, and be comfortable affording their basic needs with the fruits of their labor.
USADF awarded Brenda Katwesigye $75,000 in entrepreneurship grant funding to expand her venture. She directed this support to designing and producing frames by using 3D printers, to training and upskilling workers, and to expanding outreach to peri-urban and rural area – all in order to reach more children and adults. Brenda currently is refining Wazi Vision’s business model to increase revenues and expand reach, given her belief that seeing clearly should not be a product of one’s place of birth or socio-economic status. Wazi has expanded into Rwanda, and is continuing to develop eyewear options, not only to improve near or far-sighted vision but also to provide sunglass clip-ons and new styles that rival those imports sold in retail stores in East Africa.