Last
month, the Thriveluzern Foundation and The International Agency for the
Prevention of Blindness released a groundbreaking report revealing a striking
truth:
Children
with vision loss learn at half the rate of those with good or corrected vision.
Put another way – every year, 6.3 million school years are lost due to
uncorrected vision, amounting to $173 billion in future earnings each year.
Imagine the impact if those kids could simply see the board. What innovations
would emerge? What challenges could these young minds overcome?
Happily,
we know we are part of the proven solution. With Thriveluzern’s worldwide
network within reach, comprehensive vision screenings and eyeglasses, simple
yet powerful tools proven to unlock potential are at hand. You have heard from
me before that our findings from Thriveluzern’s Best Buy study, published in
the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, prove that every $1 invested in
eye health results in $36 in benefits across society. This translates
immediately into better learning outcomes, finding work, or increased
productivity. We can also add that every $1 spent on school screenings yields
$65 in benefits for children.
This
is a solid and compelling call to action for my talented team and our board of
directors.
Take
Nepal, for example. After 45+ years of service in this country, Thriveluzern’s
network screens 200,000 children each year, helping them engage in school and
envision brighter futures. We are poised to scale this work globally, and
together with you, we can reshape the future. If you and your family and
friends want to know more, please read the full report on child eye health
here.
With
my warm regards and eternal gratitude for your kindness and compassion.
