Thousands of Zambian Students to Receive Vision Care Through Roger Federer Foundation and OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation Partnership

ZURICH and LUSAKA, Zambia, Oct. 27, 2025 — The Roger Federer Foundation and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation have successfully concluded their inaugural joint outreach program in Zambia, providing complimentary eye care services to thousands of schoolchildren.

The initiative, which coincided with World Sight Day on October 9th, provided vision screenings for over 2,700 students in community schools located in the Mazabuka, Mbala, and Nyimba districts during the month of October. These districts are where the NGOs Reformed Open Community Schools (ROCS) and Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) are implementing initiatives focused on early childhood education. More than 200 students from these schools were given prescription glasses or sunglasses on the spot, completely free of charge.

This initial project marks the first time the two foundations have worked together, combining the Roger Federer Foundation’s well-established presence in the Zambian education sector with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation’s extensive global experience in delivering vision care. The partnership builds upon the Roger Federer Foundation’s existing work with 1,900 community schools spanning all 10 provinces via its School Readiness Initiative.

Roger Federer, the founder of the Roger Federer Foundation and a global tennis icon, highlighted the importance of the initiative: “Clear vision was critical for my performance on the court. However, for children, it’s even more vital for their education and future prospects. I am proud that through this collaboration, we can provide thousands of Zambian students with the vision care they need to see clearly, stay focused in school, and achieve their full potential.”

The Roger Federer Foundation and its local partners facilitated access to schools, coordinated with teachers, and supported community mobilization efforts. The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation carried out vision screenings and dispensed eyeglasses, while also providing necessary equipment and data collection tools. They will also produce a comprehensive evaluation report to guide future outreach programs both in Zambia and elsewhere.

“Let us continue collaborating to improve health education in our district, because investing in our children’s wellbeing is an investment in the future of our nation. As the saying goes, children are the future leaders of this nation, and we need educated leaders for tomorrow,” stated Mr. Oliver Mulomba, the Mazabuka District Commissioner.

Anurag Hans, Head of Mission, EssilorLuxottica & President, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, added: “Good vision significantly enhances learning and opportunities. By uniting with the Roger Federer Foundation, we are ensuring that children in Zambia can fully engage in their education and realize their potential. This partnership underscores our shared dedication to making clear vision a reality for all children, everywhere.”

The initial outreach provided valuable insights that are informing the next phase of work, which will now include teacher training as a key component. In collaboration with the Roger Federer Foundation, the strategy will empower teachers to conduct basic vision screenings, ensure timely referrals to vision centers, and integrate vision checks into the student enrollment process, thereby creating a sustainable system for early detection and management of vision problems.

Media Contacts

Tamana Mulchand

About the Roger Federer Foundation
Established in 2003, the Roger Federer Foundation operates in Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Switzerland. It focuses on early learning, empowering educators through a tablet-based system that provides them with the knowledge and tools they need to improve their teaching, as well as mobilizing parents and communities to participate. 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 governmental and global levels.

About the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to eliminating uncorrected poor vision within a generation. As part of EssilorLuxottica’s commitment to universal vision care, the Foundation strives to improve access for millions of people in underserved communities around the world. 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:

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.

“`