Selling Spectacles to the Poor

A few months ago I wrote briefly about the great trend towards microfinancing to aid the poor. In the Jan. 13 issue of The Economist they had a brief article on a similar concept. Often poor people need something as simple as a good pair of eyeglasses to greatly improve their ability to earn a living. And yet often aid money doesn't reach them at all, or reaches them in a way that helps with something else -- but doesn't get them the eyeglasses they need so that they can become self-supporting. But this article describes Scojo Vision, an American optical firm that produces eyeglasses and makes them available for just a few dollars to the world's poorest. While $3 is a lot to the poorest in third-world countries, it is a no-brainer investment for such indivduals because it enables them to earn much more due to improved vision. Another great instance of the market helping the poor where government continues to flounder.