News

Arthur in the classroom, smiling while wearing his new glasses.

Sightsavers joins WHO initiative to improve access to spectacles

SPECS 2030 aims to tackle the world’s biggest cause of visual impairment by improving global access to eye care.

May 2024
Enock, who uses a wheelchair, poses for a photo with two teachers from his inclusive school.

Sightsavers responds to report into FCDO’s work on disability inclusion

A report on the UK government’s development strategy and how inclusive it is of people with disabilities was published on Thursday 4 April.

April 2024
Eye care staff perform trachoma surveys on children in Cote D'Ivoire.

Sightsavers’ Accelerate programme gets US$36.5 million funding boost to banish trachoma

The extra funding from international donors will help speed up the elimination of trachoma in Africa by expanding and extending the programme.

March 2024
Two school students in Zambia huddle together at a desk. One is writing, the other is looking at the work.

Sightsavers at the CIES education conference 2024

We attended the conference in Miami on 6-14 March to share our expertise, engage with the education community and explore how we can transform inclusive education.

March 2024

Sightsavers to exhibit at UK’s largest optical event

Sightsavers is at the 100% Optical conference in London on 24-26 February, to raise awareness about avoidable blindness and invite eye health professionals to help protect sight worldwide.

February 2024
Dr Ndalela examines a boy's eyes and applies ointment to ease the symptoms of trachoma.

Sightsavers awarded grant to help eliminate trachoma in Zambia

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has given a grant of US$2.19 million to help fight the disease.

January 2024
Teenage girls learning trade skills in Nigeria pose for a group photo along with course leaders.

Spectrum Markets helps teenagers in Nigeria gain creative skills on World Children’s Day

Teenage girls from Kaduna State marked the global event by attending the launch of a new project that will give them the skills they need to start their own business.

January 2024

What we achieved in 2023

Sightsavers did incredible things during the year, but we couldn’t have done it without your help. Learn about our achievements, all made possible by you.

December 2023
Eye care staff perform trachoma surveys on children in Cote D'Ivoire.

Sightsavers and RSTMH host learning event on large-scale trachoma programmes

The online event will share key findings on eliminating trachoma from a new collection of research papers published in the International Health journal.

December 2023
A child in Kenya has his eyes checked by an eye health worker wearing gloves and a mask. They're outside in a village with dusty red sand on the ground.

Sightsavers pledges US$60 million to help beat neglected tropical diseases

The funding will be used for programmes that protect people from the harmful effects of trachoma, river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis and intestinal worms.

December 2023
A boy wearing a bright blue shirt washes his face using water from a tap.

Sightsavers research project aims to map the impact of climate change on NTDs

Sightsavers and the Walker Institute will work with Malawi’s government to explore how climate affects diseases.

November 2023
Two staff members enter ask a man questions during a survey about river blindness.

Sightsavers launches new action plan on inclusive data

The updated plan reaffirms Sightsavers' commitment to enhancing inclusive data and collaboration in the international development sector.

November 2023
A close-up of a man's hand holding a white cane.

Sightsavers welcomes UK white paper on international development

We applaud the clear focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and the section on people with disabilities.

November 2023
A large party with lots of people dancing, wearing colourful yellow clothes.

Sightsavers Nigeria marks 70-year anniversary

Representatives from Sightsavers, the national and state governments and the global health community joined an event on 20 November in Abuja to celebrate Sightsavers’ achievements in the country.

November 2023
Sightsavers Nigeria country director, Dr Sunday Isiyaku.

Sightsavers presents evidence at UK aid inquiry

Dr Sunday Isiyaku, Sightsavers’ country director for Nigeria, shared his experience of working on UK aid funded programmes and the impact of the recent aid cuts on disability-inclusive programmes.

October 2023
A young girl wearing a colourful eye patch smiles and holds her thumb up to the camera.

Sightsavers partners with children's eyewear brand Speckles

Speckles will be supporting Sightsavers’ eye health projects through annual donations, starting with the School Health Integrated Programming project in Liberia.

October 2023
John Chiti smiles while wearing sunglasses.

Sightsavers campaign ambassador inspires Netflix film about albinism

The film ‘Can You See Us?’ is based on the life of John Chiti, who is a Zambian albinism rights campaigner and Sightsavers’ ambassador for the African Disability Protocol campaign.

September 2023

Sightsavers campaign sends message to world leaders at UN summit

The Promise in Peril campaign culminated at the SDG summit with a declaration reaffirming commitments to achieving the global goals that explicitly references disability rights.

September 2023
Dr Jalikatu uses a magnifier to look at a girl's eyes.

Sightsavers-trained doctor appointed deputy minister of health in Sierra Leone

Dr Jalikatu Mustapha trained with Sightsavers between 2012 and 2016, becoming the only female ophthalmologist in the country.

August 2023
Nora teaching Glory, one of her students, how to count.

Sightsavers to share expertise on inclusive education at global conference

Sightsavers’ education, research and policy teams will join the global education community at the UKFIET international education conference on 12-14 September in Oxford, UK.

August 2023

Sightsavers reacts to publication of Equalities Impact Assessment

The Equality Impact Assessment, published by the FCDO, shows the devastating impact of the cuts to the UK's official development assistance on the most marginalised people, including people with disabilities.

August 2023
Sightsavers' CEO Caroline Harper poses for a group photo with staff from Sightsavers Bangladesh during its 50th anniversary celebrations in Dhaka.

Sightsavers Bangladesh marks 50-year anniversary

Sightsavers began working in Bangladesh in 1973 to diagnose and treat people for cataracts, which is one of the most common eye conditions in the country.

August 2023
Vue Bear mascot

VUEAV and VUE Bear partner with Sightsavers to help protect sight

The visual technology company will be donating £10,000 each year towards Sightsavers’ work to help protect sight and fight for disability rights in Africa and Asia.

July 2023
A model wears a pair of sunglasses with a chain by Frida and Florence.

Frida and Florence to support Sightsavers with sunglasses accessory collection

The eco-friendly jewellery brand has launched a range of sunglasses chains that will be helping to support Sightsavers’ eye health work worldwide.

July 2023
Joy Shu’aibu, Sightsavers’ director of programme operations in Nigeria.

Sightsavers to call for action on disability rights at Women Deliver Conference

The conference, taking place in Kigali on 17-20 July 2023, is one of the world’s largest multi-sector events to advance gender equality.

July 2023

African states honoured for beating neglected tropical diseases

Benin and Ghana, two of the countries where Sightsavers works, have been recognised for their success in wiping out several diseases that are prevalent in poor and marginalised communities.

July 2023
Upendo talks to a patient during an eye test.

Sightsavers partnership aims to improve global access to eye care

Sightsavers has partnered with the Fred Hollows Foundation and PlenOptika to pilot a new vision care strategy that aims to revolutionise eye care worldwide.

June 2023
A man smiles at the camera.

Benin and Mali become the latest countries to eliminate trachoma

Both countries’ achievements have been validated by the World Health Organization, meaning they join a growing list of countries to have banished the disease.

May 2023
Two people in traditional clothing stand outside in remote Turkana, Kenya.

Sightsavers Kenya celebrates 70-year anniversary

Sightsavers began working in Kenya in 1952, when blindness affected up to 7% of rural Kenyans.

May 2023
A school student in a classroom is handed a tablet by a health worker, as other health workers and his classmates look on.

Sightsavers’ deworming work gets $16.9 million funding boost

Sightsavers has been awarded $16.9 million to continue and expand its deworming work, after a funding recommendation from US charity evaluator GiveWell.

May 2023