Vision Action shares impact of Karen Sparrow Training and Education Fund

The eye care organisation, Vision Action, has highlighted the impact of support provided through the Karen Sparrow Training and Education Fund.

Optometrist Karen Sparrow was a long-standing volunteer with Vision Aid Overseas (which merged with Vision for a Nation Foundation in 2022 to become Vision Action).

Sparrow oversaw the development and update of Vision Action’s optometry training materials by professional volunteers during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Vision Action shared in a statement: “Karen Sparrow’s exceptional volunteer work was pivotal in mobilising and inspiring our volunteers, particularly those new to global eye health.”

In memory of the “treasured colleague and long-term Vision Action volunteer,” who died in January 2022, the Karen Sparrow Training and Education Fund was established with a focus on supporting Human Resources for Eye Health initiatives.

Combined support from the fund and Optometry Giving Sight facilitated several continuing professional development (CPD) projects.

This has included a Training of Trainers course in low vision at KNUST University, Ghana, for faculty members and community optometrists, helping to grow the capacity of low vision services.

Vision Action

Vision Action volunteers and course attendees

Refresher training in equipment maintenance, stock management, glazing, and dispensing has been provided at Vision Centres in Zambia, while accredited remote CPD sessions have been developed with the Ghana Optometry Association. The materials from these sessions are set to be utilised across all the countries where Vision Action operates.

Through the funding, Vision Action has been able to support optometry associations in Zambia, Ghana, and Ethiopia, in raising community awareness about eye health through campaigns such as World Sight Day and World Optometry Day.

The organisation has also provided additional support to optometry associations in Ethiopia and Ghana to enhance capacity and member support.

“The volunteer programme, significantly shaped by Karen Sparrow’s contributions, plays a crucial role in these efforts,” Vision Action shared in a statement, adding: “Karen’s legacy endures through the training materials she helped develop and the many volunteers she trained.”

“Karen Sparrow’s dedication to improving eye care services has left an enduring impact, and Vision Action is proud to honour her legacy by continuing her work and expanding its reach in providing essential eye care services to communities in need,” the organisation continued.

Commenting on Sparrow’s contributions, her family shared: “Improved eye care for all was central to so much of Karen’s life. As an optometrist by profession, she was passionate about supporting others and equipping them with the tools to flourish in their careers.

“Her years of volunteering with Vision Action were a natural extension of this passion. We are delighted, as she would be too, that her life’s work continues through Vision Action,” her family added.

Donations can be made to the Karen Sparrow Training and Education Fund online.