NEW YORK-- Scojo Foundation, a non-profit social enterprise that works to improve the economic condition of families in the developing world by broadening access to affordable reading glasses, will be one of 43 winners to be honored by the 2007 Social Capitalist Award from Fast Company Magazine and global consulting firm Monitor Group.

Founded in 2001, Scojo Foundation addresses presbyopia, a condition that affects nearly 700 million people worldwide, limiting their ability to work with their hands, decreasing their productivity and quality of life, and creating economic instability at what should be the prime of their careers, according to the foundation.

"While low-cost reading glasses have long been available in every drugstore in the U.S., this simple, life-changing product has not made its way into the hands of those who live on less than $4 a day," explained Dr. Jordan Kassalow, chairman and co-founder of Scojo Foundation.

Employing market-based solutions to address this public health issue, Scojo Foundation trains microfranchisees, or "vision entrepreneurs," to run profitable businesses conducting vision screenings within their communities, selling affordable reading glasses, and referring those requiring advanced eyecare to reputable clinics. Scojo Foundation uses this scalable model to form strategic franchise partnerships with organizations that can easily integrate Scojo's microfranchise model, adding both profit and social value to established programs.

Scojo Foundation currently works with more than 20 franchise partners in India, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.