ZURICH and LUSAKA, Zambia, Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Roger Federer Foundation and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation have successfully completed their first joint outreach program in Zambia, bringing free vision care to thousands of schoolchildren.
In October, timed to coincide with World Sight Day on 9 October, the initiative provided vision screenings for more than 2,700 learners across community schools in the Mazabuka, Mbala, and Nyimba districts, where the NGOs Reformed Open Community Schools (ROCS) and Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) are implementing early childhood education initiatives. More than 200 beneficiaries from the schools received prescription eyewear or sunglasses on-site, free of charge.
This pilot project marks the first collaboration between the two foundations, combining the Roger Federer Foundation's established presence in Zambia's education sector with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation's global expertise in vision care delivery. The partnership builds on the Roger Federer Foundation's work with 1,900 community schools across all 10 provinces through its School Readiness Initiative.
Roger Federer, founder of the Roger Federer Foundation and global tennis icon, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “Good vision was essential to everything I did on court. But for children, it's about something even more important - their education and their future. I'm proud that through this partnership, we can help give thousands of learners in Zambia the vision care they need to see clearly, stay focused in school, and reach their potential.”
The Roger Federer Foundation and its local partners provided access to schools, coordinated with teachers, and supported mobilization efforts. The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation conducted screenings and eyeglass dispensing, while also supplying equipment and data collection tools, and will produce a consolidated evaluation report to inform future outreach in Zambia and beyond.
“Let us continue to work together, hand in hand, to improve health education in our district, because when we invest in our children's wellbeing, we invest in the future of our nation. As it is always said, the children are the future leaders of this nation, and we need the leaders of tomorrow to be educated today,” said Mr. Oliver Mulomba, Mazabuka District Commissioner.
Anurag Hans, Head of Mission, EssilorLuxottica & President, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, added: “Good vision is one of the most powerful enablers of learning and opportunity. By joining forces with the Roger Federer Foundation, we are ensuring that children in Zambia can fully participate in education and unlock their potential. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to making good vision a reality for every child, everywhere.”
The initial outreach has provided valuable learnings that are shaping the next phase of work, which will now feature teacher training as a core element. Together with the Roger Federer Foundation, the strategy will equip teachers to conduct basic vision screenings, ensure timely referrals to vision centers, and integrate checks into student enrollment - building a sustainable system to identify and address vision problems early.
Media Contacts
Tamana Mulchand
tamana.mulchand@essilor.com
About the Roger Federer Foundation
Established in 2003, the Roger Federer Foundation is active in Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as in Switzerland. Its focus is on early learning, empowering educators through a tablet-based system that gives them the knowledge and tools they need to teach better as well as to mobilize parents and communities to contribute. The Roger Federer Foundation also advocates for SDG 4.2 “by 2030 ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for school” at both the governmental and global level.
About the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a registered charitable organization dedicated to eliminating uncorrected poor vision within a generation. As part of EssilorLuxottica's commitment to universal vision care, the Foundation works to expand access for millions in underserved communities worldwide. It is also the Global Collaborating Partner of the World Health Organization's SPECS 2030 initiative, which focuses on refractive error, myopia prevention, and improving access to vision care in low-resource settings.
Find out more at: onesight.essilorluxottica.com
Note to Editor
Roger Federer has been a long-standing partner of EssilorLuxottica through his eyewear collaboration with Oliver Peoples. Building on this collaboration, and through the Roger Federer Foundation, he has partnered with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation to improve children's access to vision care in Zambia.