Reaching the Unreachable: GoodVision Brazil and Colombia Unite to Serve Chocó 

When GoodVision Brazil and GoodVision Colombia joined forces a few weeks ago, they weren’t just crossing borders. They set out to reach Quibdó, a city in one of the most challenging regions on Earth, where vision care has been largely nonexistent. 

Quibdó sits in Chocó, Colombia’s poorest and most isolated region. Nearly 80% of residents live below the poverty line, and the area is one of the rainiest places on Earth, receiving up to 400 inches of rain annually. Dense rainforest, rivers, and extreme rainfall mean many communities are accessible only by boat or plane, and only when weather permits. For the predominantly Afro-Colombian and indigenous population, healthcare access is extremely limited. Just two hospitals serve over 500,000 people, and maternal and infant mortality rates are double the national average. 

These are exactly the kind of obstacles GoodVision was built to overcome. 

With support from Colombia’s National Army providing crucial logistical access, the cross-border partnership brought state-of-the-art teleophthalmology equipment deep into the Colombian Pacific. More than 300 people received comprehensive eye exams and vision care. Many saw clearly for the first time in years. Some, for the first time ever. 

What makes this collaboration remarkable isn’t just the number of people served, but what it represents: by pooling resources, expertise, and local knowledge across borders, sustainable vision care can reach even the world’s most underserved communities. 

In a region where children die from preventable diseases and basic infrastructure barely exists, clear vision isn’t just about seeing. It’s about education, employment, and dignity. This partnership proves that when we work together across boundaries, no community is too remote to reach. 

Residents of Quibdó received comprehensive eye exams and vision care thanks to a collaborative initiative between GoodVision Brazil and GoodVision Colombia.