Our work in Senegal
Sightsavers has been working in Senegal since 2001 to prevent avoidable blindness and make sure eye care services are available for everyone who needs them.
In Senegal, it’s thought that one in 100 people are blind, and many more are visually impaired.
Sightsavers’ work in the country aims to ensure eye health services are available to all, particularly those who are marginalised or vulnerable. We provided vision tests and deworming treatment in 31 schools as part of the School Health Integrated Programming project: in 2019 we screened more than 18,000 children for vision problems.
We’re also working to eliminate trachoma, a neglected tropical disease, which is a major public health problem in Senegal: about 25,000 people in the country are blind because of the disease.
Alongside eye health programmes, Sightsavers empowers people with disabilities so they can go to school, get a job and support themselves. In 2022, we helped 281 children with visual impairments and other disabilities in Senegal to go to school. We also helped to train teachers about inclusion, and are working in four regions to encourage people with disabilities to vote in local elections and take part in community decision-making.
Watch a video of our Senegal country director Salimata Bocoum speaking about our successful inclusive education project in the country.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
Previous programmes
How we’re making a difference in Senegal
The COVID-19 pandemic meant pausing much of our trachoma work. However thanks to hard-working surgeons like Babacar, patients have been able to get the care they need.
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Senegal launches action plan to collect high-quality inclusive data
The initiative outlines the steps needed to ensure that people with disabilities are represented in official data, which will inform the government’s planning and monitoring.
Sightsavers wins Zero Project award for work on political participation
The prize was awarded for our inclusion project which promotes the rights of people with disabilities to participate in civic and political life in Cameroon and Senegal.
We are… promoting inclusive elections
We’re working with partners in Cameroon and Senegal to ensure people with disabilities are able to take part in every stage of the political process.
In Senegal, we’re ensuring all children are able to go to school
Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Your donations are helping to train teachers so they can welcome children with visual impairments and other disabilities into the classroom.
Collaboration is key: lessons from the World Water Forum
Sightsavers’ Salimata Bocoum shares learnings, actions and reflections from the World Water Forum, where the importance of working together to fight neglected tropical diseases was a key theme.
May 2021 update: highlights from around the world
In Pakistan, teachers have given insights into their experiences of vision screening in schools. Plus updates from Senegal, Mozambique and Nigeria.
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