Our work in Mali
In Mali we focus on fighting and preventing diseases such as river blindness, and treating eye conditions such as cataracts.
Debilitating diseases such as river blindness are a major public health problem in Mali.
It’s thought that five million people need medication to protect them against river blindness, and more than 15 million people are at risk of lymphatic filariasis.
Sightsavers has been working in Mali since 1991, and is fighting these diseases by distributing medication that can prevent them spreading.
We’re also working to reduce blindness in Mali by training eye specialists and health workers, and recruiting community volunteers to distribute medication. We educate communities about good hygiene, carry out surgery for patients suffering from cataracts and trachoma, and screen people for refractive error.
Sightsavers’ social inclusion work in Mali aims to empower who are visually impaired, enabling them to participate in their community. We provide support to help children with visual impairments to go to school, offer eye health consultations and monitor the progress of each child that is enrolled.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
How we’re making a difference in Mali
Fighting disease
Sightsavers mobile surgeon Boubacar Fomba travels to rural Mali to treat patients in the field and gather vital data about trachoma.
Read Boubacar’s story
Inclusive education
Eleven-year-old Mafoune has low vision and used to struggle at school. But thanks to our inclusive education project, she now excels in class.
Read Mafoune’s story
Restoring vision
Sayon suffered for years with trachoma, and risked going blind. After a straightforward operation, she is now free from this painful disease.
Read Sayon’s story
Your donation could help to protect sight
DONATEMore from west Africa
October updates: highlights from around the world
In Nigeria, an eye health volunteer has been rewarded for helping to prevent river blindness for more than 20 years. Plus news from Zimbabwe, Ghana and Mali.
Including people with disabilities in African political life
Findings from our research show that lack of education and financial resources, social stigma and inaccessible physical infrastructure contribute to a lack of political participation in Africa.
July updates: highlights from around the world
News from Zambia, where surgeons are being trained to operate on trachoma patients. Plus updates from Burkina Faso, India and Senegal.
May updates: highlights from around the world
News from India, where Sightsavers campaigned to help people with disabilities take part in the recent general election. Plus updates from Mali, Bangladesh and Nigeria.
April updates: highlights from around the world
A round-up of the latest work that your donations help to support, including news from Pakistan, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire.
March updates: highlights from around the world
News about Sightsavers' fundraising gala in Dubai, plus updates from Sierra Leone, Zambia and Mozambique.
February updates: highlights from around the world
An update from Sightsavers’ India office, which has won several high-profile awards for its NGO work. Plus news from Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal.
November updates: highlights from around the world
News about a programme that has distributed more than 137,000 pairs of glasses across eight countries. Plus updates from Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique and more.
October updates: highlights from around the world
In October, celebrations took place in many of Sightsavers' programme countries to mark World Sight Day. Plus news from Kenya, Mozambique and more.
September highlights: updates from around the world
News from Zambia, where Sightsavers helped Felix to gain his ophthalmology diploma. Plus news from Guinea, Togo and more.
“We’ve learned to treat all children equally”
Sightsavers' Kate McCoy travelled to northern Sierra Leone to visit a school where teachers are being specially trained to support children with disabilities.
Mariam’s story
Mariam is a Sightsavers trained community directed distributor, who loves her job. She gets to help protect people in her village from the threat of river blindness.
We save sight in 30 countries worldwide
Where we work