Cocoa marketing company, Fludor Ghana Limited, a member of the Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, in collaboration with non-profit organisation, VisionSpring, has conducted eye screening and distributed free eyeglasses to some cocoa farmers in the country.
In all, 3,790 individuals in nine cocoa growing districts in the Western and Eastern regions benefitted from the exercise.
The exercise was part of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts to support the eradication of vision impairment, one of the world's most significant health problems, affecting 7.5 million Ghanaians, many of who are in low income rural communities.
The CSR initiative aimed to increase eyeglasses coverage rate and income earning potential of cocoa farmers and community members in Fludor's sustainability sourcing network.
Commenting on the programme, the Managing Director of Fludor Ghana Limited, Dennis Sampong, explained that the initiative had obvious social impacts yet broader sustainability benefits.
"A healthy farmer is a happy farmer, and a happy farmer is a productive one. The farmers' wellbeing has a direct impact on the quality and quantity of their output, so it is imperative that we support them as best as we can," he said.
The Business Development Lead, VisionSpring, Ghana Harry Ahimah, said, "It is always a delight when well-meaning companies like Fludor Ghana Limited come to the aid of Ghana's cocoa farmers. Cocoa farmers are considered a major backbone of the Ghanaian economy, but it is sad to realise that most of them are unable to access eye care either due to cost or lack of eye care facilities. We are deeply grateful to TGI Group for this collaboration, and we are looking forward to a lasting partnership to further unlock the earning potentials of Ghanaian cocoa farmers."
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Out of the 3,790 beneficiaries screened for various eye diseases and visual impairments, 1,547 received spectacles, 1,316 individuals were given medications and 927 with various conditions, which include cataracts, pterygium and glaucoma, were referred to the nearest district hospitals for further examination.
Fifty-Eight year-old Thomas Mensah, a beneficiary, said, "Prior to the screening exercise, I could hardly see well and read due to issues with my eyes."
"Performing certain cocoa farm operations such as pod breaking, scooping of beans, hand pollination, etc. was quite difficult for me as I ended up most times not doing it the right way. Hearing that Fludor was organising a free eye test was a great joy to me. After going through the exercise, I received a spectacle from the doctor and now I can see clearly and read," he said.
