How our innovations are changing lives
Sightsavers’ teams are leading the charge to eliminate preventable diseases and tackle inequality. Learn about the fresh thinking and technology that make us a leader in our field.
New ways of thinking are needed to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. At Sightsavers we pride ourselves on our ability to innovate across all parts of our work.
We transform great ideas into practical reality across all our projects and programmes, from gathering data using mobile phones to curating award-winning interactive exhibitions.
Our collaborative work with governments and partners aims to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality for people with disabilities. Read more about our groundbreaking work below.
How we’re innovating for inclusion
As part of our Inclusive Futures initiative, we are testing innovative ways to ensure people with disabilities are included in development programmes.
Visit the websiteInnovation highlights
COVID-19: resuming work safely
When vital NTD work paused during the pandemic, we needed to innovate to get back on track. This risk assessment and mitigation action tool helped us and our partners reach millions with treatments and surgery.
COVID-19 and NTD expertise
Work we do to eliminate NTDs can also help stop the spread of COVID-19. The Ascend programme adapted its NTD behaviour change activities to communicate the importance of following COVID-19 guidance.
Using mobile phones to fight disease
Digital technology has become an essential tool in the fight against trachoma, one of the world’s most ancient diseases. Our prize-winning TT Tracker app ensures that patients undergoing trichiasis trachomatous (TT) surgery get the aftercare treatment they need.
Using data to combat diseases
We are increasing the power of disease data to help people get the treatment they need for NTDs. By bringing together health data we are helping governments make more informed decisions about public health.
Protecting medical staff through research
It’s essential that we protect everyone involved in our work. To help get our programmes running during COVID-19, we worked with partners to find the best combinations of personal protective equipment.
Raising awareness innovatively
We raise awareness of issues, like NTDs, in innovative ways. At the award-winning BLINK exhibition, visitors learned what it would be like to have advanced trachoma by seeing how their eyesight would degrade with every blink.
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Neglected tropical diseases