Our work in South Sudan
River blindness continues to affect many people in Republic of South Sudan. Our work focuses on distributing medication to prevent the spread of this blinding disease.
Sightsavers started working in South Sudan in 2009 and established a country office in the capital, Juba, in January 2012.
Several neglected tropical diseases are present in the country: more than 7.4 million people require medicine to protect them against river blindness, and trachoma is thought to be a problem in 28 districts.
We are helping the country’s ministry of health to distribute medication that stops river blindness from spreading. In 2018, we distributed more than 546,000 treatments for the disease and trained 5,100 local volunteers, who are based within communities and deliver medication to people in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
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“We’re playing a critical role to banish trachoma”
Since 2012, Sightsavers has been using smartphones to collect high-quality data, so that countries can effectively map the disease and focus their elimination efforts.
We are… training young people with disabilities
We’re working with partners in Kenya to give young people the skills and practical experience they need to begin a career in IT.
We are… creating inclusive eye health services
We’re working with governments in Uganda and Malawi to improve access to quality eye care services and prevent avoidable blindness.
A day in the life: the only ophthalmologist in Karamoja
“My name is Dr Gladys Atto. I wanted to be a doctor since I was a child, and I am very proud to be an ophthalmologist and have an impact on people’s lives.”
A day in the life: “It’s a blessing to have the power to change someone’s life”
Dr Hawa Naiga Magembe is studying ophthalmology in Uganda with the help of a scholarship provided by Sightsavers’ inclusive eye health programme.
“I was the first trachoma surgeon in my region”
Meet Samson, a trachoma surgeon who’s saving people’s sight by performing pop-up operations and outreach in remote communities in Kenya.
Captain Clean: teaching children about hygiene through games
Schools in Kenya, Ethiopia and Guinea are using educational board games to teach children about the importance of good hygiene to help eliminate trachoma.
Sightsavers and partners launch US$6 million inclusion and labour rights programme
The Global Labor Program, part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, aims to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities and improve labour rights at two large Kenyan companies.
The IT Bridge Academy: what’s next for students?
In Kenya, students who have been studying IT as part of a Sightsavers initiative are now looking ahead to their graduation, internships and future careers.
We save sight in 30 countries worldwide
Where we work