Vision Care Givers International

Lucky's journey with eye care began tragically when his father suffered visual impairment resulting from an armed robbery at his family home. Though the family lived in suburbia, the nearest eye doctor was 300 miles away and unreachable as Lucky’s father could not travel. Realising that many other Nigerians were also suffering due to a lack of quality eye care providers in the country, Lucky became an optometrist. Nigeria’s primary eye care services have proven untenable due to healthcare system challenges, and it was in this context that Lucky founded Vision Care Givers International, a non-profit with a mission to provide sustainable access to affordable eye care services.

Lucky’s One Young World journey began at the 2019 Summit in London. The Summit built upon his belief in resilience and adaptive leadership and prepared him for the challenges of the pandemic. He has also been actively involved in other One Young World initiatives, including receiving mentorship, support and guidance through a One Young World coaching programme. Vision Care Givers International created 50 hand wash stations while providing 5,694 prison inmates with antiseptic soap and hand sanitiser as part of its COVID-19 response. Around 450 marginalised children in correctional facilities also received hygiene products at this time. 45 students were trained on how to make these products for both their personal use and for wider distribution.

The organisation has generated a significant impact through its eye care programmes, with over 20,000 people having accessed quality eye care in Nigeria and Malawi. Under Lucky’s leadership, it has established sustainable vision care centres powered by solar panels in underprivileged communities. Vision Care Givers International also has a significant outreach programme, reaching 150,000 people in 187 countries through its online presence and accumulating over a million active listeners on its eye health radio show.

"The key words for me during the One Young World Summit were resilience and adaptive leadership. Every session I attended reinforced it. It reinforced my desire to stand up for vulnerable groups and tailor all our project objectives to meet with the Sustainable Development Goals."