While attending the recent IAPB “2030 IN SIGHT LIVE” global conference in Mexico City, Megan Webber, Co-Founder of KnowTheGlow, had the pleasure of meeting Caio Abujamra, president of the Suel Abujamra Institute in Brazil. Caio Abujamra is a dedicated advocate for eye health and awareness, actively involved in initiatives across Brazil to promote vision care and education. His recent advocacy and awareness efforts led to his recognition at the event as a Young Systems Leader by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
Megan and Caio set a date to speak further after the event given KTG’s recent awareness efforts in the country and it was a delight to get to learn more about this inspiring young leader. Caio serves as president of the Suel Abujamra Institute, the largest ophthalmology care center in San Paulo, Brazil. The Suel Institute operates as part of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) and serves more than 22,000 patients a month. The Institute was founded by Caio’s father, Dr. Suel Abujamra, in 2002, and was taken over by Caio in 2018 after Dr. Abujamra’s passing.
In recent years, Caio has been instrumental in reviving and championing the “April Brown Campaign,” originally initiated by his late father. The campaign aims to raise awareness and share knowledge about eye health issues, particularly conditions that can be detected through eye screenings. Caio has taken personal charge of the campaign’s revival, using technology to reach broader audiences via Google and Instagram, as well as organizing eye screening events to directly engage communities. Looking ahead, Caio is focused on streamlining the April Brown Campaign’s messaging and operations. He is collaborating with a marketing team in São Paulo to consolidate its communication strategy and develop cohesive outreach materials. His ultimate goal is to transform April Brown into a nationwide movement that not only raises awareness but also drives tangible improvements in eye health care access and outcomes across Brazil.
Caio’s vision for the April Brown Campaign extends far beyond awareness. He envisions it as a pivotal part of Brazilian Federal Law, which would mandate government support in spreading awareness through various channels, including federal buildings and social media. To bolster the campaign’s impact, Caio plans to enlist the support of prominent ambassadors and larger non-profit organizations.
In addition to the work Caio has been doing with the Suel Abujamra Institute, in 2023 he formed a strategic alliance with two other non-profit organizations: Renovatio (Good Vision Brazil) and the Ver Ter Institute, thus creating the “Juntos pela Visão” (Together for Vision) initiative, where he serves as Co-CEO of the group. Through this alliance, they have been developing and strengthening the work of each institution. An example of this is the “Aldeia em Foco” (Focus on Villages) project by the Suel Abujamra Institute, which aims to use portable equipment and tele-ophthalmology to provide care to 25,000 indigenous people by the end of 2025. However, the group’s flagship project is the one being developed in over 560 schools in the city of São Paulo, with the goal of providing eye exams conducted by ophthalmologists and delivering free eyeglasses to more than 420,000 students in need.
Caio, Megan, and Helene discussed possible plans for the future as KTG hopes to highlight their efforts in awareness in the coming months and make more formal collaborative plans for April Brown 2025! We look forward to working alongside the team at the Suel Institute and getting to know Renovatio and Institute Ver Ter soon too! So many inspiring people doing such incredible work on behalf of the children and families of Brazil.
