Eye Health Hero: Vincent Mendy

Mr. Mendy started his eye health career in 2014 as assistant operations manager at OneSight Gambia. He quickly grew in this position of Country Manager in the Gambia in 2016 and currently holds the position of Regional Programme Coordinator for Africa. In 2014 OneSight began its sustainable vision center programming model to create a long-term solution for countries to offer access to vision care in The Gambia. This solution called upon local leaders to implement strong training and business plans to establish Vision Centres at hospitals.

OneSight linked the local government to high-quality, low-cost eyewear so that the units could be self-sustaining from the sale of spectacles. Vincent showed remarkable skill in teaching government partners the technique of selling glasses within a public sector. He proved a remarkable change maker in this regard. Further he was able to use his unique skill to connect with volunteers of all nationalities as well as his business acumen to assist operational training of 6 vision centers. Vincent has grown and continues to challenge himself through finding new leadership opportunities. His peers in the office and vision centers saw him as a friend, a mediator, and a leader and respected his guidance during the implementation stage of OneSight’s sustainable vision center strategy.

As Country Manager he was instrumental in rolling out OneSight’s outreach initiative, providing care to patients who could not travel to the vision centers as well as new ideas such as visiting private sector companies with a mobile unit to ensure financial sustainability of the programme with cross-subsidization. Due to his ability to lead change Vincent was promoted to the position of regional programme coordinator. Vincent is now responsible for helping OneSight roll out sustainable vision centers in Liberia, supporting implementation of OneSight’s training model, and leading OneSight’s charitable programming (where we offer free eye exams and glasses in temporary settings) for all of Africa.

“I was born to care for and make people feel valued. Working for OneSight has been a dream come true, providing an opportunity to collaborate with people from different backgrounds. My work is centered around providing great care for our patients, partners, and staff. This care enables my team to drive vision center traffic, improve refractions, increase sales, and guide partners in their efforts to achieve financial sustainability. Every employee is deeply attached to our mission and the wonderful patients we serve. Together we continue to form partnerships to fuel our work providing access to those in need.”

– Vincent Mendy