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Change-makers

Change-makers are motivated to act. They turn good ideas into action and they keep trying until they have made a difference. From embedding eye health in health systems, changing corporate behaviour or bringing about policy change they are actively bringing positive change through their actions.

We are delighted to showcase our Eye Health Heroes – Change-makers for 2021. They represent the diversity of eye health practice and the promise of what youth and new ideas can achieve in the sector. Do see and celebrate the Heroes listed here – each panel lists their work and impact.

Alem Mekonnen
Alem Mekonnen

Light for the World Ethiopia

Alem has a learning mindset and always starts with looking at the whole context, players and situation to determine where interventions are most necessary…

Carles Fresno Cañada
Carles Fresno Cañada

OCULARIS

En definitiva, para Carles, la cooperación en África es su segunda casa, dónde se siente útil y necesario, esperemos poder disfrutar de su entusiasmo durante muchos años…

Damien Motteau
Damien Motteau

Essilor 2.5 New Vision Generation

Damien is a result oriented professional with a strong business acumen. …

Dr Anuja Desai
Dr Anuja Desai

KD Hospital

With all these concerns, Dr Anuja Desai and her Department of Ophthalmology started conducting awareness in Urban and especially Rural areas for Eye Check-Up…

Eye Health Heroes 2021
Dr. Anjita Hirachan

Lumbini Eye Institute and Research Centre ( LEIRC)

Dr Anjita Hirachan is one of the young energetic and dynamic and promising doctors of lumbini Eye Institute, Bhairahawa…

Elizabeth Fairless
Elizabeth Fairless

University of Oklahoma

Throughout her educational years and early career, Elizabeth took on important roles in student mentorship and education programs…

Emily Hodgetts
Emily Hodgetts

The Fred Hollows Foundation

Emily’s many strengths include her ability to grasp high level concepts and the need for their integration into problem solving approaches…

Faraja Mlipano
Faraja Mlipano

Eye Care Foundation

Faraja has been one of the ophthalmic nurse that fights reduction of the backlog of eye diseases in the areas…

Janet Nkhoma
Janet Nkhoma

Operation Eyesight Universal

Janet has supported many members of her community throughout their eye health journeys, and thanks to her support, many of those beneficiaries…

Jayant Jha
Jayant Jha

SJ Vision Foundation

He has extraordinarily contributed to Eye and Vision care through optometric Approach…

Jeff Mudenda
Jeff Mudenda

OneSight

Jeff involves OneSight’s team members as well as OneSight’s in-country partners and many vendors in establishing end-to-end processes to ensure future success…

Jingjing Wang
Jingjing Wang

Shanghai Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment Center

She devoted herself to the practice and research of children’s myopia prevention and control…

Keitumetse Thamane
Keitumetse Thamane

Peek Vision

Keitumetse is a highly motivated individual and the insightful actions she takes each day help Peek support its partners…

Laura Ramirez
Marlon Garcia Roa

Instituto Mexicano De Oftalmologia

Ha asistido a numerosos simposios y congresos en salud ocular buscando siempre lo mejor para contribuir al desarrollo de la atención asistencial en México y en Nicaragua…

Lizzie Anne C. Aquino
Lizzie Anne C. Aquino

UK-REACH DR, Philippine Eye Research Institute

Lizzie Aquino undoubtedly embodies the qualities of a change-maker and is a rising star in our organization…

Manuel Salvado Pérez Arriola
Manuel Salvado Pérez Arriola

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua

He was part of the training program in visual acuity screening for primary school teachers of the department of Jinotega – Nicaragua in the In 2016…

Eye Health Heroes 2021
Ms. Saima Ghufran

Pakistan Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences

She has taught more than 300 optometry students in her professional career, who are working all over the country in eye care sector…

Mustapha Bature
Mustapha Bature

Ophthalmological society of Nigeria

In 2018, he co-founded EyeFocus, a platform for “advancing eye health through shared learning,” leveraging on technological solutions.

Najmeh Bahmanziari
Najmeh Bahmanziari

School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

She is an active contributor in Iran’s Vision 2020 landmark report and an infrastructure concept in community ophthalmology…

Neftalí Trinidad González
Neftalí Trinidad González

AMFECCO 

He is so committed to the fact that there are more and more licensed optometrists trained in the optometric management of diabetes…

Noora el kouka
Noora el kouka

Noor Dubai Foundation

Noora manages the marketing and communications department of Noor Dubai. Her focus includes working with project managers in the field on collecting patient stories and documenting their journeys…

Pawan Baral
Pawan Baral

Himalaya Eye Hospital and Himalaya Eye Institute

Pawan is the Research and Academic Coordinator at Himalaya Eye Hospital (HEH) and Himalaya Eye Institute, Nepal…

Pius Atwau
Pius Atawu

Mbarara University Of Science And Technology

Pius and the team continue to use the limited resources they have to promote eye health, this shows how passionate…

Rahul Tiwari
Rahul Tiwari

VisionSpring

Rahul richly deserves the Eye Health Hero Award in the Change-makers category as his tireless efforts have helped more than a million people…

Sajani Kayastha
Sajani Kayastha

Bharatpur Eye Hospital

Sajani is grateful to BEH and Seva for their support in helping her realize her dream of working in the field of Pediatric Ophthalmology and strabismus…

Shaffi Mdala
Shaffi Mdala

ICEH

Shaffi has a particular interest in improving eye health services for people with diabetes, and his work has created change…

Stella Waithera Jane
Stella Waithera Jane

PCEA Kikuyu Hospital, Kenya

She has shown commendable dedication and drive in leading management activities for the improvement of the quality of eye care services…

Supriyo Sarkar

Mission for Vision

Supriyo manages the eye care activities at the Ahiritola Vision Centre where he is the first point of contact for communities…

Udayakumar Balakrishnan

Aravind Eye Hospital, Pondicherry

He had developed manuals for Medical records Management and Counselling and been contributed in many research studies…