EYE CAMPSeeing the unknown future with OWNDAYS

A second Eye Camp was held in Marikina City, Philippines in 2024. Originally planned as an annual event, it was brought forward this year due to earnest appeal from the local charity organisations.

The City of Marikina, with a population of approximately 456,000, is located in the National Capital Region of the Philippines and is famous for its shoemaking industry. Widely known as the “Shoe Capital of the Philippines”, many local brands proudly produce shoes that are labelled “Made in Marikina”. The city takes great pride in its shoemaking craftsmanship and history and is home to the Philippine International Footwear Centre and the Shoe Museum. Despite the city’s economic success, poverty still persists in some areas.

According to 2012 data, 13.4% of households have income below the poverty line and 5.6% are earning below the food poverty line. In this Eye Camp, we focused specifically on 215 individuals who are living below the food poverty line. For many, it was their first time wearing spectacles and it left them with a renewed sense of hope, knowing their daily lives would improve with clearer vision. Their joy and gratitude were beyond what words could describe.

We hope that these corporate social responsibility initiatives will continue to deepen our ties with the local community and help to improve the quality of life even in small ways, beyond just providing spectacles. OWNDAYS will continue to contribute to the needs of the community.

On 15 May 2024, OWNDAYS held its CSR initiative, the OWNDAYS Eye Camp, in Sambag II, Cebu, Philippines. During the event, the company distributed free spectacles to approximately 200 underprivileged residents.

Located in Cebu City, Sambag II is home to about 12,000 residents. The people of Sambag primarily speak Cebuano and are composed of various ethnic groups, including Visayan, Tagalog and other indigenous peoples. The area is known for its rich history, vibrant culture and strong community spirit. However, about 80% of the residents live below the poverty line. This situation has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2023 and Super Typhoon Odette in December 2021. As a result, obtaining food and basic necessities has become difficult, leaving little to no means to afford spectacles. In addition, many residents are not aware of their vision problems.

The OWNDAYS staff travelled to Sambag II to personally deliver spectacles made for about 200 residents. For many, it was their first time wearing spectacles and their faces were filled with surprise and joy. In particular, many were looking forward to an improved quality of life and work with clearer vision. Despite the language barrier, the crew members were happy being able to communicate with the Cebuano-speaking residents with the help of an interpreter.

It was a meaningful opportunity for us to gain a deeper understand of the significance of giving back to society.

The OWNDAYS Eye Camp is a key Corporate Social Responsibility programme that highlights our commitment to sharing vision with the world. In March 2024, an OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Singapore in partnership with AWWA Ltd (“AWWA”). AWWA was founded in 1970 by a group of volunteers supporting low-income families, and has since evolved into one of Singapore's largest multi-service social service agencies. AWWA’s multi-professional team supports the integration and inclusion of children with developmental needs, families with complex social issues, the elderly, and persons with additional needs so that they may live out their various dreams and aspirations.

Held at Kampung AWWA and AWWA School @ Napiri across a span of 3 days from 12 March to 14 March 2024, we set up professional eye test stations at the venues and deployed a crew of 20 staff volunteers to conduct eye tests for a total of 211 persons with additional needs, seniors, and families in need. The crew consisted of staff from the Singapore headquarters as well as opticians and retail staff from the various stores. With the eye test records, we then returned to distribute the prescription glasses. Over 180 pairs of prescription glasses were distributed at this Eye Camp.

As the recipients put on their new spectacles, their faces erupted in bright, wide smiles. The ability to see with good clarity not only filled their hearts with happiness but also brought immense satisfaction to the staff volunteers.

Witnessing their delight was profoundly heartwarming and has deeply inspired us to continue our mission of bringing the gift of sight to the underprivileged communities around the world.

The OWNDAYS Eye Camp this time was held at Galkot, a municipality in Baglung District of Nepal.

Baglung District is one of the 77 districts in Nepal. It is approximately 5 hours’ drive away from the city of Pokhara, through steep mountainous roads. Due to such geographic constraints, access to medical care is extremely difficult for people living in Baglung. They have to travel through mountainous roads by car for 2 hours to get spectacles at a nearby town. After eye test, it would take up to 20 days before their spectacles are ready for collection. Since commuting around town is harder for children and the elderly, vision correction naturally takes a back seat in terms of priority.

This Eye Camp, OWNDAYS made about 320 pairs of spectacles and the staff headed on-site to personally hand the spectacles over to the recipients. This was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that the staff were able to visit the venue in person to do spectacle fitting for the recipients. Nepali is the native language widely spoken in the Baglung area. Driven by their desire to give back to their home country through the skills and knowledge they have acquired at OWNDAYS, 2 staff members of Nepalese origin participated in the Eye Camp, taking the lead in strengthening ties with the local community.

Among those who received the spectacles, some were bewildered as it was their first time putting on spectacles, while others accepted the spectacles delightfully. Despite being just a short stay, it was a priceless time spent together.

As with the year before, OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Iraq in partnership with NPO IVY.

The school we visited this time was in Tobzawa Village, one of the most impoverished areas in Erbil that is approximately 36km away from the city centre. The residents there is a mix of Arab and Kurdish people. There is no hospital in the village and essential services such as water and electricity are also lacking. Since public transport in Iraq and KRG is underdeveloped, residents need to travel by taxi, the most expensive mode of transportation, to the city centre to access medical facilities.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, OWNDAYS staff were unable to travel to the venue in person so the spectacles were entrusted to the local IVY staff.

Due to its circumstance, wearing spectacles is not a common practice in Iraq even for those with poor eyesight. As a result, many children were puzzled when they put on spectacles for the first time. A total of 208 pairs of spectacles were handed out this Eye Camp and the experience had certainly created a positive impact on the children’s education.

Moving forward, we will continue to expand the scope of activities conducted within the framework of the OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

The latest OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in the town of Kaiyara in Iraq, with cooperation from the NPO IVY. This is the first OWNDAYS Eye Camp ever hosted in the Middle East
As was the case last year, the impact from the spread of the new coronavirus infectious disease prevented OWNDAYS personnel from making the trip overseas. Instead, the eyeglasses prepared for distribution were consigned to IVY staff members.

Kaiyara Town in Mosul City was occupied by the Islamic State in Iraq (ISIL) through 2016. In the subsequent operation to recapture the region, a large number of local public facilities were destroyed.
The school building of Mashriq Elementary School, utilized as the site for this Eye Camp, was destroyed by ISIL during the occupation. After this area was liberated, the school was rebuilt with solicited donations.

Our program here was organized to conduct eyesight tests and distribute eyeglasses to local children and their guardians, elderly persons and others living in the neighboring area.
For example, children forced to wear broken eyeglasses because they are unable to purchase new ones. Children unable to obtain any eyeglasses up to now. Senior citizens continuing to use reading glasses not fitting their own visual needs.
Every recipient of new eyeglasses could be seen smiling at the joy of seeing clearly again.
This was the first time that overseas products had been delivered to this town following its liberation. That further increased the joy of the participants.

Going forward, OWNDAYS has determined to advance it business to Middle Eastern countries.
That will be accompanied with ongoing expansion of new activities, with OWNDAYS Eye Camp programs in the Middle East continued to be organized.

The 19th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in two regions of Shan State in Myanmar – Pin Laung and Yauk Sauk.

In organizing these activities, the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus infectious disease was a major factor. The situation made it extremely difficult to conduct the traditional approach of OWNDAYS staff members from various countries gathering at local sites to distribute the eyeglasses. Instead, the 448 eyeglasses produced for this occasion were presented by local doctors and charity group workers, following thorough infection control measures.

In Pin Laung, about four and a half hours by car from Taunggyi City (the base of our operation), eyeglasses were distributed in the three villages of Yimi, Pinglun and Tigyit. Under administrative instructions, the program was spread over five days, with no more than 30 persons allowed to gather at once. In Yauk Sauk, about a two-hour drive from Taunggyi, distribution took place in three locations –Pin Pgyit and Yadanar Pone villages, and Magin Monastery.

Though the impact of the pandemic has created unprecedented conditions over the past year, it is exactly at such times that cooperation takes on greater importance. Our aim is to bring smiles to the faces of as many people in Myanmar as possible, while conveying our appreciation to the entire local population. We likewise look forward to the recovery of security and a democratic political system for all Myanmar citizens at the earliest possible time.

OWNDAYS Eye Camp is a way of giving back to our fellow Filipinos. Last December 25, 2019, we had our 5th Eye Camp in the Philippines – aiming to help our less fortunate kababayans from Pampanga and shared with them the gift of sight with the help of Apl.de.ap’s team.

OWNDAYS Volunteers, including OWNDAYS CEO, Shuji Tanaka, celebrated their Christmas with the families from Sapang Bato, Pampanga, Philippines. There was a total of 863 participants of the Christmas Party and a total of 150 pairs of glasses were given to those who needed them. The children who attended were also given a total of 1,000 school supplies to support their education. Participants and the volunteers enjoyed the Christmas Party that was held at the residence of Mr. Apl.de.ap.

As we conclude the year 2019, OWNDAYS assures everyone that we will continue to dedicate ourselves to sharing the gift of good vision to those in need through Eye Camp.

The 18th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Pekon, a town in Shan State, Myanmar.

People in Pekon have limited access to healthcare facilities as it is difficult getting to the cities where the main medical institutions are situated. Despite this, Pekon rarely receives relief from charities so the people there were delighted when we visited them for the OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

This Eye Camp, we distributed approximately 400 pairs of glasses to people of all ages, from children to the elderly. The glasses were fitted with prescription lenses catered to each recipient’s needs and there were both reading glasses and those for viewing far distances. One by one, the Eye Camp crew carefully adjusted the frame fitting for the recipients and checked to ensure their vision was clear and comfortable.

Similar to previous ones, this OWNDAYS Eye Camp was made possible as a result of the combined effort from various parties. This included our customers around the world whose purchase constituted a portion of the funding for the project, the committee members who liaised with local doctors and schools, the local doctors who conducted eye examination and provided us with the prescription details and finally the OWNDAYS staff in Japan who had taken great care in putting the glasses together. As to the Eye Camp crew members, we completed the final step of handing over the glasses to the beneficiaries. Beyond being visual aids, these glasses embodied the thoughts of everyone involved in the project, their well-wishes to the needy people of Pekon and our aspiration of making the world look more beautiful through improved vision.

This OWNDAYS Eye Camp gave us an opportunity to establish a closer bond with the people in Myanmar. Moving forward, we will continue to bring our glasses to those in need so they can experience the joy of having brighter, clearer vision.

The 12th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Nepal.

There were 2 distribution venues this time. We first distributed prescription glasses at Malekhu, a small town that is an hour’s drive away from the capital city of Kathmandu. After which, we headed to Town Beni Ghat where we gave out toys and stationery to the children living there.

Being situated in the mountainous inland areas, economic growth in Malekhu and Beni Ghat has been slow. Public facilities are inadequate and supplies are usually limited due to transportation constraints. Many living in both towns face difficulties in obtaining daily necessities.
Through OWNDAYS Eye Camp, we were able to provide support, albeit just a small amount, to the needy people.

We have dedicated a portion of our global profits to help people who are less privileged. By doing so, we hope to enrich their lives. To us, each OWNDAYS Eye Camp is a reinforcement of the importance of our work.
By visiting local communities and giving out relief supplies to the needy people in person, we hope we would be able to enrich the lives of these people.

The 11th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Tandi, a city in the Chitwan District of Nepal.
From the capital city, Kathmandu, we travelled across steep mountains with prescription glasses prepared for needy local people who could not afford glasses. We also brought along books and toys that would be given out in a local school.

There are many ways to contribute to the society. For instance, one could simply send financial or material aids from home. However, in OWNDAYS, we choose to visit local communities in perso　n because we would like to provide the same level of service and quality to the recipients as we would to our customers back home. As we hand over our glasses, we are able to help the recipients adjust the glasses at the same time.

This time, we also raised donations in the form of an in-house virtual currency called OWNDAYS Miles. The donations were exchanged for toys and given out to children from poor families.
The OWNDAYS Eye Camp allows us to meet the local people face to face and to pass them our glasses personally. It is a reminder to us on how we could do our part for people in the world as a company.

In line with our corporate philosophy of enriching the lives of people related to OWNDAYS, we have pledged a portion of our profits to help needy people who are burdened by poor eyesight.
We will continue to provide prescription glasses to those in need through OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

The 10th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Taiwan. This was the first time the project was conducted there. We collaborated with Breeze Charity Foundation and distributed prescription glasses to the children in need.

We met many children from low income families who were unable to afford eyeglasses. This encounter has reminded us yet again that OWNDAYS is more than just an eyewear retailer. We are also helping to enrich the lives of others by bringing them a clearer, brighter future.

This OWNDAYS Eye Camp in Taiwan has brought us new encounters and reminded us the importance of having good vision. Let’s continue making a difference by sharing the vision with the world.

The 9th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in Cabalawan, Tacloban City, the Philippines in collaboration with Lions Club International and The Gift of Sight by Robinsons Malls.

In November 2013, the once beautiful city, formerly known as “The Beautiful City By The Bay”, was wrecked by the deadly Typhoon Haiyan. 4 years on, many people are still living in makeshift homes. The road to the city’s revival seems slow and difficult.

This time, we gave out eyeglasses to the needy people living in Cabalawan district of Tacloban. We also brought pictures books and toys for the children. We hope our OWNDAYS glasses could bring a little sunshine and joy to their lives.

In line with our philosophy of “enriching the lives of people associated with OWNDAYS”, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to helping the less fortunate and to sharing the vision with the world through OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

The 7th OWNDAYS Eye Camp was held in the Philippines. In partnership with ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc., the Eye Camp Team identified towns with the greatest need for vision correction before embarking on the mission. This was the first Eye Camp in the country and would definitely not be the last.
We distributed prescription eyeglasses to 200 children and adults. The recipients shared stories about the difficulties they experienced every day and how OWNDAYS Eye Camp could change their lives. We were very excited that we could help give them a clearer and more beautiful vision.

Through the OWNDAYS Eye Camp, we have met many people who require eyeglasses but are unable to obtain a pair due to financial difficulties. From children to adults, we hope to continue these efforts in enriching the lives of people through our eyeglasses. What we do day by day is more than merely selling eyeglasses, it is to give others the ability to see clearly. We are grateful to have another heart-warming experience in the OWNDAYS Eye Camp. In line with our mission of sharing vision with the world, we strive to continue making a difference to the world.

One year since the first OWNDAYS Eye Camp. This was our 6th Eye Camp and we returned to Madurai, India, the place where it was first held.

There were 4 distribution venues this time. We distributed glasses to the residents in Andar Kottaram Village, Ambethkar Nagar Village, Kathakinaru Village as well as students in a school in Kathakinaru Village.
At present, there are many people who require glasses but are unable to obtain a pair. We wish to do our part to help improve this situation no matter how small our effort may be. One person at a time, we hope from the bottom of our hearts that our glasses would put a smile on the Indian people.

In line with our mission to enrich the lives of everyone related to OWNDAYS, we will continue to do our part in order to share the wonders and joy of “being able to see clearly” with the world.

In 2015, Nepal was hit by a deadly earthquake of an estimated 7.8 magnitude. It was a dreadful disaster that brought many buildings down in shatters, led to landslides and even triggered an avalanche.
With the thought of helping people in affected areas acquire good vision while they rebuild their homeland, we headed to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal for the 4th installment of the OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

This time, we brought along approximately 150 pairs of glasses with customised prescriptions for the recipients and we called upon OWNDAYS staff from around the world to go on this expedition in Nepal.
As we handed out the glasses, the Nepali people also gave us their widest smiles in return. Some put their palms together in a prayer like gesture while others held and shook our hands. Despite differences in language, we could feel their immense happiness and gratitude upon receiving the glasses.

We hope our efforts of giving out glasses to those who cannot afford it could contribute to the rebuilding of Nepal.
Everyone should have a chance to enjoy a clear vision and we aim to make this happen. We hope to enrich the lives of people around us through the gift of sight, step by step, one person after another.

6,800 km from Japan.
In the rural parts of India, facilities available for eye examinations are often inadequate. As a result, many people living in these areas are unable to correct their vision.
To help these people overcome the problems and inconveniences caused by poor vision, OWNDAYS organized a volunteer expedition to Sakkimangalam Village, located in Madurai, a major city in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India, where staff from the different countries came together to deliver glasses to the local communities there. Approximately 100 pairs of prescription glasses were given out to people from 6 to 80 years old.

We cannot help but to reminisce in the joy we saw on these people’s faces when they could finally see clearly with their new glasses. Indeed, the joy of having good vision transcends borders and cultural differences.
From children to adults, we hope to continue our efforts in enriching the lives of people around us through OWNDAYS glasses. Whether it is one person or one thousand people, we hope we can make a difference to their lives.