So we kicked off 2025 by taking your eyewear donations to The Zikomo Trust. Thanks to your incredible generosity we've delivered over 3000 pairs of glasses, sunglasses, ready readers and even some prescription swimming goggles to The Zikomo Trust.
A huge thank you to every one who has donated! Every single frames helps us give the gift of better vision - and a a brighter future- to people who truly need it the most.
🌍 About The Zikomo Trust
The Zikomo Trust supports orphans, vulnerable children and the elderly in Malawi. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with a GDP per capita of just $1.65 per day (2023 figures) Despite economic hardship, Malawi is known as ‘The Warm Heart of Africa’ for it's welcoming and kind-hearted people. The Rrurst was founded in 2011 by Barry Brindley to contonue more than two decades of fundraising effots, creating a formal way to deliver long-term support for communities in need.
"Our aim is to raise awareness of the problems facing Malawi and to assist in the areas of education, poverty and healthcare"
👓 How Retrospecced Got Involved
We were introduced to The Zikomo Trust through it's founder and chairman, Barry Brindley, who happens to be a fellow member at our local golf club. Until recently, members of the Wakefield community had been donating old spectacles directly to the charity, which were stored and sent to Malawi in bulk shipments - alongside donations like homewards, sports equipment and clothing.
At Retrospecced, we realised we could make an even greater impact by using our platform to boost eyewear donations and help those in need. With your help, we collected thousands of pairs, which we gave to the charity, who will pass them on to Kasungu Lions Club in Malawi for distribution across local communities.
💛 Making a Real Difference
The work that The Zikomo Trust does is nothing short of inspiring.
One of their ongoing projects supports The Chilanga School for the Blind, which provide specialist education for blind and partially sighted students. Over the years, the Trust has supplied:
- Braillers and braille paper
- Adapted games and toys such as footballs with beads inside and raised dominoes.
- Clothing and musical instruments
These donations help empower children to learn, play, and express themselves fully - regardless of their vision.
Here's a snapshot of our recent visit with Barry Brindley as we dropped off the latest collection of donated eyewear - a proud moment for all of us at Retrospecced and our amazing customers.
🚢 The Challenge of Getting Donations to Malawi
Shipping physical donations to Africa is increasingly difficult and expensive, which is why Vision Aid Overseas (now Vision Action) stopped taking donations. Due to geopolitical challenges in the Middle East, shipments can no longer travel through the Suez Canal and must instead journey around the entire African continent.
This has tripled the cost of shipping containers to Malawi in recent years - one of the biggest challenges facing the Zikomo Trust today.
Many organisations have shifted toward recycling rather than shipping but the Zikomo Trust continues to delivery physical aid responsibly, ensuring items like your glasses reach those who will use them directly.
💬 Continuing Our Support
We will continue to support The Zikomo Trust throughout 2025 and beyond, ensuring every pair of donated glasses finds a new purpose and a new home.
If you'd like to help us keep this momentum goingL
👉 Donate Your Old Glasses Here
We can also pass on spectacle cases as long as they're still functional - every bit counts.
Let's see how many frames we can collect in 2025. If you have donated frames with us drop a comment below and share your experience - we'd love to hear from you!
