About us
Our story
The VCF was co-founded by Professor Andrew Bastawrous, CEO of Peek Vision, an eye health technology social enterprise and Dr Astrid Bonfield, former Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, which invested over £100m in avoidable blindness. The VCF brought together founding partners Essilor, Standard Chartered, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, UBS Optimus Foundation and philanthropist James Chen.
Our approach
Mobilising Capital for Governments
The Vision Catalyst Fund directs capital to low- and middle-income governments so they can deliver their costed national eye health plans. By pooling donor resources and working with partners, we help governments integrate eye health into health systems and budgets for lasting impact.
Catalytic and Innovative Finance
We mobilise new and diverse sources of funding for eye health, from traditional donors to alternative finance and cross-sector investors. Every dollar invested can be multiplied through development financing and generate up to $36 in local economic value.
Systemic Change, Sustainable Results
Our role is catalytic: building government capacity, embedding evidence and data, and aligning funding to unlock large-scale, sustainable eye health services that reach millions.
Our vision
An organisation to raise significant capital for eye health
We set out to raise $1 billion in catalytic funds using alternative finance, engaging funders from other sectors, and integrating eye health with issues such as education and employment.
A significant funder for vision for eye health diseases
We have developed a credible decision-making body with an inclusive and neutral governance structure, enabling us to create and support catalytic eye health programmes across lower and middle income countries.
A focus on collaboration
We will bring together NGOs, the private sector and the government to create sustainable and equitable programmes.
An accountable and transparent funder
We will work closely with partners to measure results, as well as share open-source evidence and insights about what works and what we are learning.
Our Chief Executive
Adam Askew
Adam Askew is Chief Executive of the Vision Catalyst Fund, working to make vision care accessible for everyone, everywhere. He brings nearly 20 years of experience building partnerships and funding solutions that have supported hundreds of millions of pounds for social good. Passionate about practical change, Adam has also co-founded a cancer charity and advised global philanthropists on tackling big social challenges. Adam is a Board Member of the US Charity Global Dignity and is Chair of Governors for a local primary school where he lives.
Board of Trustees
HEAD OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE AT STANDARD CHARTERED
FORMER AMBASSADOR AND CHARITY DIRECTOR
CO-FOUNDER OF EYELLIANCE AND FOUNDER OF VISIONSPRING
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF PEEK VISION
FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL, PUBLIC SPEAKER AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE
Global Ambassadors
FORMER VICE-CHAIRMAN OF ESSILORLUXOTTICA
SENIOR ADVISOR AND BOARD MEMBER
FORMER CHIEF MISSION OFFICER OF ESSILOR
Programmes Expert Committee
Professor Matthew Burton (Chair)
DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR EYE HEALTH AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
Dr Fatima Kyari
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF OPHTHALMIC EPIDEMIOLOGY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR EYE HEALTH
Malcolm Spence
INVESTMENT DIRECTOR AT THE GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND
Professor Kovin Naidoo
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT SOCIAL IMPACT FOR AFRICA & LATAM AND ADVOCACY AT ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
Eleanor Fuller
TRUSTEE OF THE VISION CATALYST FUND
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(1) Photo submitted by William Shepard for Deepanjali Chopra courtesy of the IAPB #LoveYourEyes Photo Competition on World Sight Day 2021.
(2) Photo courtesy of EssilorLuxottica.
(3) Photo courtesy of RestoringVision.
(4) Photo courtesy of Peek Vision.
(5)Photo courtesy of EssilorLuxottica.
(6) Photo courtesy of EssilorLuxottica.
(7) Photo courtesy of EssilorLuxottica.
(8) Photo by Nancy Mariana Chaclán Delgado courtesy of the IAPB World Sight Day Photo Competition.