The accolades, awarded by the International Association and Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), recognise eight young and upcoming leaders who are making a difference in eye health. The ceremony was held at IAPB’s Council of Members meeting on 8 October in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Mercia, who is programme manager for the Nampula eye care programme in Mozambique, has worked at Sightsavers for nine years. She gave a presentation at the ceremony about her work and her commitment to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in Mozambique.
Sightsavers’ deputy project director Moses Chege, who nominated her for the award, said: “I am delighted that Mercia’s hard work, commitment and passion for eye health and trachoma prevention has been recognised. She is an inspiration and an excellent role model on what sheer determination can help to achieve.”
Mercia says she is passionate about eliminating trachoma. Read her story to find out what else she loves about her job.
Read Mercia’s storyThe Promise in Peril campaign culminated at the SDG summit with a declaration reaffirming commitments to achieving the global goals that explicitly references disability rights.
Dr Jalikatu Mustapha trained with Sightsavers between 2012 and 2016, becoming the only female ophthalmologist in the country.
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.