Our work in Zimbabwe
At a glance
Zimbabwe is a southern African country bordered by Zambia, South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique. The country consists mainly of a high rolling plateau, and the climate is tropical. Most of the urban population lives in the High Veld, an area of fertile land with moderate rainfall and mineral wealth.
One of the poorest nations in the world, Zimbabwe was ranked 151 out of 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index back in 2007/2008. It has since been dropped from the index due to difficulties with income estimates.
Sightsavers in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Council for the Blind (ZCfB) is one of Sightsavers’ longest standing partners – an organisation we’ve worked with since it was set up in 1957.
Our work with the ZCfB includes preventing blindness through outreach programmes, the production of low cost spectacles and eye drops, supporting primary and secondary school resource centres providing integrated education, and providing rehabilitation training to adults with incurable blindness.
The project is being carried out in the provinces of Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South, an area with a population of 1.4 million people.
Sightsavers in Zimbabwe – the next steps
Zimbabwe has been a challenging country for Sightsavers to work in, due to the continued economic and political instability.
Highlights and achievements
In difficult conditions, Sightsavers and our long time partner Zimbabwe Council for the Blind have been taking eye care services to those most in need
