Scojo Foundation Earns Fast Company Award

[Paul Farkas]

This company combines the best in social activism and entrpeneurship. Kodos to www.seniordoc.org member and company founder, Jordan Kassalow who is making a difference in the Third World.

Here is the report...

"Scojo Foundation Earns Fast Company's Social Capitalist Award

Fast Company has named Scojo Foundation as one of 25 organizations that are using creativity, business smarts, and hard work to invent a brighter future. The magazine, which started the awards last year with the Monitor Group, aims to recognize organizations that do more than just make a difference: "It must also understand the system that creates the social problem it addresses, and have a clear theory of why its efforts will overhaul that system."

Scojo Foundation is honored to join a list that includes well-established organizations such as Grameen Foundation, First Book and SEED Foundation."

For more information visit www.scojo.com.

 

[Paul Farkas]

Another www.seniordoc.org member accomplishment

Jordan Kassalow a has been elected to join a prestigious organization. This from a company press release...


"Scojo Foundation is proud to announce that its Chairman, Dr. Jordan Kassalow, has been named as a member of The Aspen Institute's 2005 Henry Crown Fellowship.

The Henry Crown Fellowship is designed to engage the next generation of leaders in the challenge of community-spirited leadership. It brings together young executives and professionals under age 45 who have already achieved conspicuous success in their chosen fields of endeavor. The new Henry Crown Fellows will meet four times over a two-year period and will undertake individual community service commitments.

The Henry Crown Fellowship Program was established in 1997 to honor the life and career of Chicago industrialist Henry Crown (1896-1990) and is funded by the Henry and Gladys Crown Charitable Trust Fund.

The Aspen Institute is an international non-profit organization founded in 1950. Its mission is to foster enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues."

 

[Paul Farkas]

Another accomplishment

A press release reports that member Jordan Kassalow is making a differece internationally.


"Scojo Foundation to Receive $300,000 to Support Growth of Innovative Model

New York, N.Y., July 29, 200

— Draper Richards Foundation has awarded Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Chairman and Co-Founder of Scojo Foundation, a fellowship for his innovative social enterprise model to create and sustain livelihoods through the sales of affordable reading glasses to those in need in developing countries. The fellowship includes a $300,000 grant over three years along with business mentoring services. The grant will enable Scojo Foundation to expand to Bangladesh, Mexico, China, and Nicaragua over the next three years and sell over 200,000 pairs of reading glasses, train over 2,700 entrepreneurs, and refer up to 60,000 people in need of advanced eye care.

Founded in 2001 by Dr. Jordan Kassalow and Scott Berrie, Scojo Foundation has helped thousands of men and women lead self-empowered, productive, and prosperous lives by making reading glasses accessible and affordable in India, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Nearly 1.6 billion people living in the developing world suffer from presbyopia, or blurry up-close vision, that can impede an individual's ability to work and earn a living, and yet less than five percent have access to affordable reading glasses.

Going beyond a simple physical donation of eyeglasses, Scojo Foundation identifies entrepreneurs, with leadership potential, and assists them in building micro-franchises as "Scojo Vision Entrepreneurs." Trained in business and selling strategies, these entrepreneurs are equipped to screen for presbyopia and sell readymade reading glasses, all provided by Scojo Foundation. The entrepreneurs also are trained to refer more complicated cases to partner eye clinics where comprehensive services are provided at little-to-no cost.

"This prestigious fellowship and generous contribution will allow Scojo Foundation to impact the lives of thousands of individuals who do not have access to a simple pair of reading glasses," said Dr. Jordan Kassalow. "The commitment from Draper Richards Foundation will enable us to support the growth and development of hundreds of entrepreneurs who want to start their own Scojo Foundation franchises selling reading glasses to their communities."

"We are proud to be part of the Scojo Foundation's efforts to bring better vision to thousands of people in developing countries while also supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of hundreds of Scojo Vision Entrepreneurs," said William H. Draper III, a Director of the Draper Richards Foundation Board.


About Draper Richards Foundation
Draper Richards Foundation ( www.draperrichards.org) funds early stage social entrepreneurs in a variety of public service areas, including education, the environment, arts, health, and community and economic development. The Foundation's support is based on the structure of a venture capital firm, providing financial support as well as strategic and organizational assistance. The Foundation was founded by San Francisco-based venture capitalists William H. Draper III and Robin Richards Donohoe.

More on Scojo Foundation
Scojo Foundation has its sights set on improving the lives of others worldwide through sustainable, scalable and replicable programs in order to make the greatest impact on people's lives. To learn more about Scojo Foundation at www.scojofoundation.org"

 

[Paul Farkas]

More on an OD who is making a difference internationally

All optometry is not local. Ask member Jordan Kassalow.

An interesting piece in Entrepreneur Magazine


"Scojo Foundation recognized as a leader in the growing field of social entrepreneurship

Entrepreneur Magazine has selected Dr. Jordan Kassalow as the focus on the article because of the unique nature by which Scojo Foundation addresses the nearly 1.6 billion people living in the developing world suffering from presbyopia, or blurry up-close vision. Founded by Dr. Kassalow and business partner Scott Berrie in 2001, Scojo Foundation has empowered more than 10,000 people to lead productive and prosperous lives by making reading glasses accessible and affordable in emerging countries.

Scojo has identified a socio-economic problem caused by presbyopia: when close-up vision is blurred, men and women working in the crafts, garment and manufacturing industries are unable to perform their jobs. As a result, they are no longer able to sustain gainful employment or earn an income to provide for themselves or their families. Scojo has devised an innovative program that not only enables workers to return to their jobs, but simultaneously empowers individual entrepreneurs to become small business, or micro-franchise, owners.

Scojo focuses its efforts on the poor because research shows that when the poor have access to their own capital they use the money to feed, educate, house and provide medical care for their children. By giving the poor the opportunity to become vision entrepreneurs, Scojo ensures that families have access to education, nutrition and the health services they need. To date, Scojo has empowered over 150 entrepreneurs in India, El Salvador, and Guatemala and have distributed more than 10,000 pairs of reading glasses. In January of 2006, Scojo Foundation, in partnership with BRAC, will launch Scojo Bangladesh which will train BRAC Community Health Workers who are already selling basic health products like oral re-hydration salts, condoms, and aspirin, to sell Scojo reading glasses.

Explaining on how and why Scojo Foundation was formed during his experiences working with eye care missions in developing countries, Dr. Kassalow said, "For [each person] who needed sophisticated eye care, there were 30 people needing basic reading glasses. There was a huge market failure, and a huge market opportunity to sell cheap reading glasses."


For the complete story visit...

http://www.entrepreneur.com/Magazines/Copy_of_MA_SegArticle/0,4453,322384,00.html

 

[Paul Farkas]

ODs who make a difference...

The interview was a success. For those who missed it an update...


"News Report Explores Scojo Foundation's Innovative Approach

New York, N.Y., November 17, 2005 � Scojo Foundation is pleased to announce that NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams will be airing a story on Scojo Foundation's project in Guatemala this Friday, November 18th at 6:30 pm (Eastern Standard Time). The segment will have an interview with Scojo Foundation's Co-Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jordan Kassalow, and scenes and interviews taken in Guatemala.

Dr. Kassalow will explain why Scojo Foundation, as a social enterprise, is tackling the challenge of global poverty by making available reading glasses through the training of local entrepreneurs in developing countries.

He also will be highlighting how he and Scott Berrie, Scojo Vision LLC's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, envisioned creating a socially-responsible company by contributing 5% of its annual profits to Scojo Foundation's efforts.


More on Scojo Foundation
Scojo Foundation has its sights set on improving the lives of others worldwide through sustainable, scalable and replicable programs in order to make the greatest impact on people's lives. To learn more about Scojo Foundation at www.scojofoundation.org"

 

[David Tabak]

Scojo foundation

This fantastic foundation has, to my knowledge, almost no presence in optometry.
Can anyone answer the question---why?

 

[Paul Farkas]

Glad you asked David!

An explanation will be found in the private forum under the State of Optometry.

 

[Paul Farkas]

A well kept optometric secret

Dr. Jordan Kassalow Shares Social Innovator of the Year Award from BYU's Marriott School of Business

Recognized for work in Bangladesh with Dr. Mushtaque Chowdhury of BRAC


New York, NY (April 11, 2006) — Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management and the Center for Economic Self-Reliance awarded Scojo Foundation's Chairman and Co-founder, Dr. Jordan Kassalow, the Social Innovator of the Year Award for his role in helping launch Scojo Foundation's partnership with BRAC. Dr. Mushtaque Chowdhury, Deputy Executive Director and Dean of James Grant School of Public Health at BRAC University, shared the award with Dr. Kassalow.

In January 2006, Scojo Foundation and BRAC launched an innovative partnership to train over 60 community health workers to provide vision screenings, sell 7,200 reading glasses, and refer 2,300 patients with complex eye problems. Utilizing the micro-franchise model, BRAC and Socjo Foundation ultimately intend to train the nearly 30,000 community health workers in BRAC's system.

» click here to read Jordan Kassalow's acceptance speech


About Draper Richards Foundation
Draper Richards Foundation (www.draperrichards.org) funds early stage social entrepreneurs in a variety of public service areas, including education, the environment, arts, health, and community and economic development. The Foundation's support is based on the structure of a venture capital firm, providing financial support as well as strategic and organizational assistance. The Foundation was founded by San Francisco-based venture capitalists William H. Draper III and Robin Richards Donohoe.

More on Scojo Foundation
Scojo Foundation has its sights set on improving the lives of others worldwide through sustainable, scalable and replicable programs in order to make the greatest impact on people's lives. To learn more about Scojo Foundation at www.scojofoundation.org

 

[Paul Farkas]

I wonder?

If Jordan Kassalow,OD,MPH were more active in optometric sponsored functions would he receive better optometric press coverage? This ODwire.org member is arguably the most influential OD,MPH on the world scene.

Another example of the inner circle of leadership not recognizing those on the outside of this club who could help optometry's cause with opinion molders in business and government. Another wake up call!

 

[Matt Pearce]

If Jordan Kassalow,OD,MPH were more active in optometric sponsored functions would he receive better optometric press coverage? This ODwire.org member is arguably the most influential OD,MPH on the world scene.

Another example of the inner circle of leadership not recognizing those on the outside of this club who could help optometry's cause with opinion molders in business and government. Another wake up call!

While I understand your attachment to Dr. Kassalow there are other OD, MPHs out there doing good things. Perhaps you are not aware of them because they, too, do not receive optometric recognition. If Dr. Kassalow's foundation proves to be an effective means of providing eye health care in developing countries I'm all for it, but I am unsure how training local woman to do screenings and sell reading glasses makes him a necessary poster child for Optometry.

 

[Paul Farkas]

More information

While I understand your attachment to Dr. Kassalow there are other OD, MPHs out there doing good things. Perhaps you are not aware of them because they, too, do not receive optometric recognition. If Dr. Kassalow's foundation proves to be an effective means of providing eye health care in developing countries I'm all for it, but I am unsure how training local woman to do screenings and sell reading glasses makes him a necessary poster child for Optometry.

Matt...

Supply me with the names of the OD,MPH who are doing good things. We should recognize them.

In the interest of full disclosure Jordan is a former associate, presently a partner in my former practice and my Godson. That does not detract that he has been recognized by prestigious organizations (except for the AOA) for his work in the third world.

In addition Jordan is an associate fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations whose membership boasts the major opinion molders in the nation. An enviable place to have OD but the AOA leadership must feel thaat if an initiative does not begin with the organization it has little value.

The poor in Bangladesh might not agree that receiving reading glasses from a locally trained person has little value. Please supply names of ODs doing more. They should be recognized.

 

[Matt Pearce]

Matt...

Supply me with the names of the OD,MPH who are doing good things. We should recognize them.

In the interest of full disclosure Jordan is a former associate, presently a partner in my former practice and my Godson. That does not detract that he has been recognized by prestigious organizations (except for the AOA) for his work in the third world.

In addition Jordan is an associate fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations whose membership boasts the major opinion molders in the nation. An enviable place to have OD but the AOA leadership must feel thaat if an initiative does not begin with the organization it has little value.

The poor in Bangladesh might not agree that receiving reading glasses from a locally trained person has little value. Please supply names of ODs doing more. They should be recognized.

You misunderstood my post. I never said that what the Scojo Foundation is attempting has little value. I am all for training local people to perform eye health care in developing countries. My point is simply that there are many people in the world doing good things. Simply because the Scojo Foundation is receiving awards related to social entrepeneurship does not entitle Dr. Kassalow the title "most influential OD, MPH on the world scene".

I applaud his efforts and he may very well be influential but how would what he does "help optometry's cause with opinion molders in business and government" if it were recognized by the optometric community? Does he want to be recognized by the community? Would the community be willing to recognize a foundation that uses non-professionals to do eye care?

To reiterate I have no problem with what the Scojo foundation is doing and I hope it turns out to succesfully decrease poverty and increase access to eye health care in a method that is in line with VISION 2020. In fact we can refer to Dr. Kassalow as the most influential OD, MPH on the world scene with the caveat that other OD, MPHs are also doing good influential work.[SIZE=-1]

Edit to add: Yes I realize this is a petty point and of little consequence!
[/SIZE]

 

[Paul Farkas]

More Scojo awards...Never mentioned in the AOA News...truly pathetic!

Fast Company and Monitor Group Recognize Innovative Non-Profits for Applying Business Savvy to the World's Toughest Social Problems

New York, NY (November 14, 2006) — Scojo Foundation, a non-profit social enterprise that works to improve the economic condition of families in the developing world by broadening access to affordable reading glasses, is honored to be among the 43 winners of the 2007 Social Capitalist Award from Fast Company Magazine and global consulting firm Monitor Group.

Founded in 2001, Scojo Foundation addresses presbyopia, or blurry up-close vision, a condition that affects 700 million of the world's most marginalized people, limiting their ability to work with their hands, decreasing their productivity and quality of life, and creating economic instability at what should be the prime of their careers. "While low-cost reading glasses have long been available in every drugstore in the United States, this simple, life-changing product has not made its way into the hands of those who live on less than $4 a day," explains Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Chairman and Co-Founder of Scojo Foundation.

Employing market-based solutions to address this crucial public health issue, Scojo Foundation trains microfranchisees, or "Vision Entrepreneurs," to run profitable businesses conducting vision screenings within their communities, selling affordable reading glasses, and referring those requiring advanced eye care to reputable clinics. Scojo Foundation uses this scalable model to form strategic Franchise Partnerships with organizations that can easily integrate Scojo's microfranchise model, adding both profit and social value to established programs. Scojo Foundation currently works with more than 20 Franchise Partners in India, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. With nearly 50,000 pairs of reading glasses sold, more than 560 Vision Entrepreneurs trained, and nearly 65,000 people referred for advanced eye care, Scojo Foundation is closer than ever to achieving its goal of providing access to affordable reading glasses for all.


About the 2007 Social Capitalist Awards
Fast Company and Monitor Group have put numbers to the trend of social entrepreneurship, assessing and honoring organizations among the Social Capitalist Award winners that demonstrate excellence in creating and sustaining partnerships with for-profit companies. Through these deals, social entrepreneurs and businesses are raising the stakes, creating both business and social impact. For more information, visit www.fastcompany.com/social/

More on Scojo Foundation
Committed to visionary social entrepreneurship, Scojo Foundation improves the economic condition of families in the developing world by broadening access to affordable reading glasses through the creation of sustainable microfranchises. To learn more about Scojo Foundation, visit www.scojofoundation.org.

 

[Paul Farkas]

More news about Scojo Foundation- Founder ODwire.org member Jordan Kassalow,OD,MPH

New York, NY (April 24, 2007) — Scojo Foundation and Population Services International (PSI) have signed a five-year pan-Africa agreement to make reading glasses available to the millions of Africans who lack this simple, essential health product and tool for economic development. For most Africans living in poverty, reading glasses are unobtainable due to barriers of cost, access, and awareness. Without reading glasses, people who need to see up close to earn a living, such as weavers, farmers, electricians, and artisans, can lose their productivity and ability to support their families.

Leveraging Scojo Foundation's expertise in designing high-quality, affordable reading glasses specifically for developing markets with PSI's vast pharmaceutical distribution infrastructure and local marketing knowledge, the partnership will eventually make reading glasses available in virtually all sub-Saharan African countries. The first batch of reading glasses is currently being integrated into PSI's existing infrastructure in Zambia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

"This dynamic partnership will leverage PSI's exceptional distribution and marketing capacity across Africa with Scojo Foundation's depth of experience in the field of reading glasses. We look forward to working together to ensure that quality reading glasses are made available throughout Africa at affordable prices," says Will Warshauer, PSI's Executive Vice President for Strategy and Resources.

A fully sustainable endeavor, the initiative builds upon Scojo Foundation's cost structure and PSI's local knowledge of importation, marketing, and distribution to make affordable reading glasses available in urban pharmacies without the need for donor funding. Both organizations were selected as winners of the 2007 Social Capitalist Awards by Fast Company magazine and the Monitor Group for combining creativity and ingenuity with business solutions to address social problems.

"Hundreds of thousands of Africans living in poverty will now have access to affordable reading glasses and regain their ability to work, creating a lasting, sustainable impact on the lives and health of some of the poorest communities in the world," says Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Chairman and Co-Founder of Scojo Foundation.

For more information please contact:

Graham Macmillan
Scojo Foundation
gmacmillan@scojofoundation.org David Olson
PSI
dolson@psi.org


About PSI
PSI is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that harnesses the vitality of the private sector to address the health problems of low-income and vulnerable populations in more than 60 developing countries. With programs in malaria, reproductive health, child survival and HIV, PSI promotes products, services and healthy behavior that enable low-income and vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. Products and services are sold at affordable prices rather than given away in order to motivate commercial sector involvement. PSI is the leading nonprofit social marketing organization in the world. To learn more about PSI, visit www.psi.org.

About Scojo Foundation
Committed to visionary social entrepreneurship, Scojo Foundation improves the economic condition of families in the developing world by broadening access to affordable reading glasses through the creation of sustainable microfranchises. To learn more about Scojo Foundation, visit www.scojofoundation.org.

 

[Paul Farkas]

Scojo Foundation vs InfantSee

Both are doing fine work. Any opinions which has the greater impact?


"Washington, D.C. (June 21, 2007) — Scojo Foundation's network of entrepreneurs selling reading glasses in India demonstrates how market-based development models can provide much-needed services to the poor while stimulating economic growth, according to a case study released today by the World Resources Institute.

The case study, What Works: Scojo India Foundation, authored by Sachin Kadakia and Nico Clemminck of Columbia Business School, is an analysis of Scojo India Foundation's business model and best practices.

The work of Scojo India Foundation tackles presbyopia, or blurry up-close vision, while providing employment to hundreds of microfranchisees. While presbyopia causes inconvenience for those in high-income countries, where a quick visit to the drugstore for a pair of inexpensive reading glasses will remedy the condition, presbyopia in developing countries can have considerable adverse impacts on the precarious working lives of the poor. For weavers, mechanics, goldsmiths, and others whose livelihoods depend on near vision, a lack of access to reading glasses can impede productivity and significantly decrease their income and ability to feed their families.

Scojo Foundation has established and is continuing to expand a network of "Vision Entrepreneurs," low-income men and women who sell reading glasses directly to rural villagers throughout India. Scojo Vision Entrepreneurs earn significant supplementary income and enjoy a better standard of living, as well as increased self-respect and influence in their communities. Their customers benefit from ready and convenient access to inexpensive reading glasses, which translate into restored eyesight and improved livelihoods.

The case study is part of WRI's What Works case study series, which offers in-depth analyses of businesses that are successful in serving the 4 billion people whose incomes place them at the base of the world's economic pyramid.

For more information please contact:

Graham Macmillan
Scojo Foundation
gmacmillan@scojofoundation.org Nate Kommers
World Resources Instituten kommers@wri.org

About WRI
The World Resources Institute (www.wri.org) is an independent, non-partisan and nonprofit organization with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical analysts, mapmakers, and communicators developing and promoting policies that will help protect the Earth and improve people's lives.

About Scojo Foundation
Committed to visionary social entrepreneurship, Scojo Foundation improves the economic condition of families in the developing world by broadening access to affordable reading glasses through the creation of sustainable microfranchises. To learn more about Scojo Foundation, visit www.scojofoundation.org."

 

[Paul Farkas]

A report in the International Herald Tribune

New York, NY (July 26, 2007) — The International Herald Tribune published an article highlighting Scojo Foundation's innovative work in India creating livelihoods through microfranchising and bringing affordable vision products to the rural poor. The following is an excerpt. Links to the full article follow.

Scojo Foundation provides affordable eyeglasses to the poorest countries

GOPAL PET, India: Surrounded by measuring tapes and ornate paintings of Hindu gods hanging on the walls of his dimly lighted workshop, Adimulam Devanand pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose and hunched over a sewing machine to stitch a shirt.

A year ago, Devanand, 42, had lost the ability to see objects as fine as a needle and thread, and his tailoring business was faltering.

"I'd given up working altogether, and my wife had to do all the work," he said over the hum of the sewing machine.

Desperate to support his two children, he went to a local clinic where he was found to have presbyopia, an age-related disorder in which the eyes progressively lose the ability to focus. The clinic sold him a pair of corrective glasses for 150 rupees, or $3.72. Devanand was immediately able to return to his craft.

"Now I can share all the work with my wife," he said, gesturing to the woman who sat at an adjacent sewing machine, "and business has doubled, thanks to my glasses."

Devanand's eyesight and livelihood were saved through the efforts of an innovative microfranchise program developed by the Scojo Foundation, a nonprofit social enterprise based in New York that uses market solutions to distribute inexpensive corrective glasses in the developing world.

Scojo does more than just sell glasses. Operating in six countries, the foundation has trained more than 1,000 people to become microfranchise owners, or "vision entrepreneurs," who conduct basic eye exams, sell affordable prescription glasses and refer those who need advanced eye care to clinics and hospitals. According to Scojo, many of the microfranchise owners have doubled their income, and thousands of farmers, craftspeople and merchants have been able to return to work.

"We create livelihoods for our entrepreneurs and sustain livelihoods for our customers," said Jordan Kassalow, the New York optometrist and Council on Foreign Relations health expert who helped start Scojo in 2002.

To read the full article, please go to:

http://iht.com/articles/2007/07/23/business/scojo.php