At Ballo we make ethical eyewear by hand from recycled, upcycled and renewable materials. Since opening, in 2013, we have got behind many causes and during the global pandemic we gave away thousands of facemasks to people in need. We are now focusing our impact on schoolchildren who need glasses as we launch our Buy One Give One program.You BUY ONE and we GIVE ONE to a schoolchild in need. See things differently and give the gift of sight.

Ballo is and will remain a registeredBCorpand contributing member of1% For the Planet. And from now on we will be giving a frame to a child in need for every frame we sell.

WHY DID WE DECIDE TO LAUNCH THE BUY ONE GIVE ONE?

As Alistair, founder of Ballo, explains:

When my son was 10 months old I found out he needed glasses. In our consultations with the opthamologist I discovered that more than 40% of children at high school need reading glasses. That’s right, nearly half the children in classrooms may not be able to see the board.

In South Africa our major challenges are unemployment and poor education. That also means that the 40% of learners who need glasses probably can’t afford them.

Being able to help my son with his glasses made me realize how many other kids there are that need help.

At Ballo eyewear our mission is to put the planet before profit and help people see things differently. To see things differently you first have to be able see them.

The thought that almost half the children in schools can't see the board or read the questions on the exam paper was keeping me awake at night. I have seen the difference glasses have made in my son's life and can only imagine the possibilities for high school students. 

I am super proud to launch the Buy One Give One cork eyewear program. For every frame that you purchase we will donate one to a learner in need here in South Africa. Helping to facilitate their path to education by ensuring they can engage with their teachers, class work and peers clearly. We will be partnering with the African Eye Institute (AEI) who already do incredible work in schools with their One School at a Time project focusing on South Africa's most vulnerable schools. We will be donating frames to AEI and they will conduct eye tests and fit lenses. Signup for emails to see exactly where the frames you give go to.

...and we love the planet so much that we’ll plant a tree for every order, with GreenPop, making this project carbon positive.

Give the gift of sight to the schoolchildren of South Africa.