Our work in Tanzania
Sightsavers has been working in Tanzania since the 1970s to protect sight and prevent blinding diseases. In 2019, we helped to carry out 10,000 sight-saving operations in the country.
In Tanzania, many people live in poorer or more remote areas and access to healthcare can be difficult.
All five of the most common neglected tropical diseases are present here: trachoma, river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis (known as ‘snail fever’), and soil-transmitted helminths (aka worms).
Sightsavers has been working in the country since the 1970s, helping to support and strengthen local eye care systems to tackle preventable blindness. We provide specialist training for health workers, increase public awareness of eye care and lobby the government to ensure eye care is universally available.
Our programmes in Tanzania mainly focus on preventing and treating trachoma, and providing cataract operations for those who need them. We also work to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
How we’re making a difference in Tanzania
Treating cataracts
Two-year-old Bakir was born with cataracts that severely affected his sight. But a straightforward operation restored his vision and his hope.
Read Bakir’s story
Fighting trachoma
After having an operation to treat trachoma, Fatuma learned about the importance of washing her face to prevent the disease reoccuring.
Read about trachoma prevention
Reaching everyone
Sightsavers’ Sarah Filbey visited an island near Zanzibar to find out how we’re helping to restore sight in remote, far-flung communities.
Read about Sarah’s trip
Your donation could help to protect sight
DONATEMore from Tanzania
Paolo's story
Paolo's family could not understand why he kept having problems with his eyes. Thankfully, training for a Sightsavers-supported programme was taking place nearby.
July updates: highlights from around the world
A young boy has his sight restored in Nigeria, plus news from Kenya, Pakistan, Tanzania and Ghana.
Fatuma's story
Fatuma is a grandmother from Ruangwa, Tanzania suffering with advanced trachoma. We follow her journey from near-blindness to the chance to see once again.
COVID-19: Africa’s economic recovery must leave no one behind
Many people with disabilities work in the informal sector. Unless they can leave their house every day, they struggle to meet their basic needs. For them, the situation is dire.
Celebrating our health workers on World Health Day
As we thank all our health workers on World Health Day, meet six who have worked with Sightsavers to help improve eye care for people in their communities.
Sightsavers launches eye health programme in Tanzania
Sightsavers is launching a three-year programme to provide quality eye care to rural populations in the Morogoro and Singida regions.
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.
Tanzania joins the push to make accessible books more widely available
It has become the latest country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty, which allows exceptions to standard copyright laws so books can be reproduced in braille and other accessible formats.
Reaching Ruangwa: an epic journey to help save sight
Sightsavers’ Jo Howard travels across rural Tanzania with an eye health team to see how far they must go to treat trachoma in the most remote communities.
We save sight in 30 countries worldwide
Where we work