Glasses stories
Glasses stories
A used pair of glasses from a German drawer is a valuable thing in Uganda. On an income of around one euro a day, a visual aid is a luxury, and the nearest optician can be a hundred kilometres away. Glasses are sold at markets without any indication of strength, often with dirty lenses — people try them on until one somehow matches their eyesight.
In children, undetected vision problems almost inevitably lead to failure at school; in adults, to unemployment and poverty.
How our glasses project works
Together with Brillen ohne Grenzen from Oberkirchen in the Saarland we collect used glasses. There they are cleaned, their strength is measured, frames are repaired and everything is repacked. Our helpers then carry them along personally, or we send them in parcels to Uganda, where a team at the health centre of Lwala Hospital distributes them.
Around 2,300 pairs — at first mainly reading glasses — have been distributed this way. In 2024 we also built a glasses station in Apapai.
And sometimes it is more than a pair of glasses
Behind some donations lies a story that goes far beyond the object. One of them moved us particularly: Lisa’s glasses.
Would you like to help? All members of Apwoyo e. V. accept used glasses, as does Bücher Volk in Saarburg. And with 50 euros for the postage of a five-kilo parcel you enable around 150 people to see — see Get involved & donate.
