Our work in Kenya
Kenya’s leading cause of sight loss is cataracts, while diseases such as trachoma also play a part. Our work in the country focuses on improving eye care and preventing eye disease.
When Sightsavers started working in Kenya in 1952, our focus was to eliminate avoidable blindness and provide rehabilitation for adults who were irreversibly blind.
Today, we’re continuing this work by improving local health services, training doctors and eye surgeons, and making sure eye care is available for everyone.
We’re also working to eliminate several neglected tropical diseases in Kenya: we distribute medication to help control the spread of blinding trachoma, and educate local communities about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness to prevent diseases spreading.
Finally, our inclusive education programmes in Kenya aim to make sure children with disabilities are able to go to school. We raise awareness in communities about disability rights, and train teachers so they have the specialist skills needed to teach children with disabilities.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
How we’re making a difference in Kenya
Raising awareness
Our Super School of 5 project, in northern Kenya, features superhero characters to encourage children to wash their hands and faces.
Read about the project
Inclusive education
Flash Odiwuor, a 13-year-old from Kenya, caught polio and lost the use of his legs. But a Sightsavers project enabled him to return to school.
Read Flash’s story
Protecting sight
We train eye health workers and help to improve local healthcare services in Kenya to make sure no one goes blind from avoidable causes.
Read about our work
Your donation could help to protect sight
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Meet Elizabeth, who's saving sight in Kenya
A decade ago, Turkana had the highest prevalence of trachoma of any county. Now thanks to eye health workers like Elizabeth, the number of cases have been severely reduced.
The friend next door: how Ekeno’s neighbour saved her sight
Ekeno was experiencing terrible pain in her eyes, until her neighbour, Sightsavers-trained community worker Susan, was able to get her the help she needed.
Sightsavers surgeon featured on BBC for World NTD Day
Our sight-saving work in rural Kenya was featured in BBC coverage for World NTD Day 2020.
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day: highlights from around the world
On 30 January, Sightsavers joined in celebrations for the first ever World NTD Day around the world.
Including people with disabilities in African political life
Our research shows that a lack of education and financial resources, social stigma and inaccessible physical infrastructure mean fewer people with disabilities are participating in politics in Africa.
How soap and superheroes are changing lives
Geordie Woods explains how the Super School of Five trachoma prevention programme is protecting school children from this devastating disease.
“That lady who was going blind? Look at her now!”
In northern Kenya, Sightsavers’ Sarah Filbey visits an eye camp that treats both trachoma and cataracts, ensuring everyone gets the life-changing help they need.
September updates: highlights from around the world
News from India, featuring a Sightsavers-supported judoka who won a bronze medal at a Commonwealth competition. Plus the latest from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zambia.
Groundbreaking new programme will enable 2,000 people with disabilities to get better jobs
The Inclusion Works programme, funded by UK aid and led by Sightsavers, will create job opportunities for more than 2,000 people with disabilities.
Sightsavers Kenya launches disability rights petition
The petition is part of Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign, and calls on the government of Kenya, the United Nations and its member states to uphold the rights of people with disabilities.
June updates: highlights from around the world
News from Zambia, where Sightsavers’ Super School of 5 programme is teaching thousands of school students about hygiene. Plus updates from Benin, Kenya, Zimbabwe and more.
Treating hard-to-reach people: what we’ve learned from CATCH
The Coordinated Approach to Community Health programme, which finished in March 2019, has restored the sight of more than 21,000 people and generated a wealth of knowledge.
We save sight in 30 countries worldwide
Where we work