Free Eye-Care Outreach Brings Vision Services to More Than 200 Victoria Falls Residents

More than 200 residents of Victoria Falls benefited from a two-day eye-care outreach programme aimed at making eye examinations and vision care more accessible to communities.

The initiative, held under the theme “Your Vision, Our Mission,” was organised through Kuwona, a project being implemented by Pamozi in partnership with Dress A Child and Eye Pod Eye Clinic.

The outreach began on Monday, 24 August 2026, at Mkhosana Clinic, where 115 people received eye examinations between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The programme continued the following day at Chinotimba Clinic, where a further 113 people accessed eye-care services.

Speaking about the initiative, Pamozi representative Vusubuhle Mthunzi said the project was created to assist people who face financial barriers when seeking eye care.

Mthunzi said the idea was inspired by one of Pamozi’s founders, who experienced difficulties accessing eye-care services for one of her children.

The experience highlighted the wider challenge faced by many Zimbabweans who require eye examinations, treatment or glasses but cannot afford the associated costs.

“Some people have got eye problems, but they cannot afford eye care,” Mthunzi said.

While the outreach provides access to eye examinations, beneficiaries who require glasses currently have to cover the cost of lens edging, as the organisation does not yet have a donor supporting the full cost of combining lenses with frames.

The maximum cost of the edging is US$40, although beneficiaries with medical aid can use their medical aid cover towards the expense.

Mthunzi said the organisations are seeking additional funding and partnerships that could allow the entire service, including spectacles, to be offered free of charge to beneficiaries in future.

The initiative highlights the potential of partnerships between non-governmental organisations, community organisations and eye-care professionals to address gaps in access to essential healthcare services.

For residents who struggle to afford routine eye examinations or spectacles, programmes such as Kuwona can provide an important opportunity for early detection of vision problems and access to appropriate eye-care support.

By Natalie Muzore