Eyewear design and manufacturing company, Wazi Vision has announced a new partnership with Guardian Health Pharmacies to offer affordable, high-quality eyeglasses to the visually impaired across Uganda.
This collaboration seeks to make fashion-forward, glasses accessible to Ugandans while reducing the stigma surrounding eye care.
Under the partnership, the eyeglasses will be available at Guardian Health Pharmacies’ 20 branches nationwide, starting with eight locations.
“When we needed to purchase our first pair of prescription glasses, we were shocked by
how difficult it was to find affordable eyewear in Uganda and across the continent,” said
Brenda Katwesigye one of the founders of Wazi Vision.
“As Uganda’s first eyewear design and manufacturing company, we are excited to partner with Guardian Health, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the country. This collaboration will make our eyeglasses more accessible and affordable for urban residents, initially at eight Guardian pharmacies. We believe this venture will enhance productivity, income and the overall livelihood of families.”
Founded in 2016 by Brenda Katwesigye and Geogette Ochieng-Ndabukiye, Wazi Vision is Uganda’s pioneering eyewear design and manufacturing company primarily established to produce accessible and affordable eyewear locally.
The eyewear is crafted by African artists and designed with various face shapes in mind.
A recent study highlights that one billion people in the developing world suffer from vision impairment that could be corrected with glasses.
Approximately 800 million of these individuals require only a shs25,000 ($6.75) pair of reading glasses.
According to officials, while Wazi eyeglasses are priced at just shs25,000, they offer superior quality compared to other options on the market.
In contrast, similar eyeglasses in Europe, North America, and other regions range from $2 to $15 (shs 7,386 to 55,392).
The collaboration with Guardian Health represents the first time that readers (eyeglasses) will be readily available in urban pharmacies in Uganda, a service previously exclusive to optical clinics.
Many had always been turned away by the clinic prices however where eyeglasses range from shs 50,000 to over shs150,000.
“With this Guardian collaboration, we are breaking new ground by creating a new pathway for accessing eyewear. Our mission is to raise awareness about eye testing and treatment access for all. Wazi means ‘clear’ in Kiswahili, and our vision is to make clarity of vision possible for everyone in Africa,” said Ochieng-Ndabukiye, a co-founder at Wazi Vision.
Officials said Wazi hopes the partnership will play a significant role in collecting up- to-date data on visual impairment in Uganda.
This can be especially possible by tapping into Guardian Health Pharmacies’ vast branch
network, which in Kampala extends to Munyonyo, Ntinda, Wandegeya, Kansanga, Kisementi, Bunga, Kabalagala, Kitintale, Kiruddu and Naalya.
According to Ndabukiye, in addition to readers (eyeglasses), Wazi Vision offers prescription glasses and sunglasses, and also produces frames from cattle horns.
