Our work in The Gambia
In The Gambia, Sightsavers’ work has focused on eliminating trachoma, an infectious disease that can cause immense pain and blindness.
Sightsavers has been working with The Gambia’s ministry of health and social welfare to control and eliminate trachoma.
In April 2021, The Gambia became the second country in sub-Saharan Africa to eliminate trachoma, as confirmed by the World Health Organization, ensuring that millions of people will no longer have their sight threatened by this potentially blinding disease. Trachoma has already been eliminated in Ghana, as validated by WHO in June 2018.
We helped to achieve this milestone by treating people with advanced stages of the disease, often through surgery, and monitoring active cases of trachoma across the country. We also helped to distribute antibiotics to protect against the disease.
Sightsavers also aims to increase the number of people trained to diagnose and treat refractive error. We have provided spectacles for those who need them, and helped to set up a new vision centre in the country, which we publicised through radio shows, billboards and posters.
In previous years we’ve also helped to diagnose and treat cataracts in The Gambia, providing sight-saving surgery to restore people’s vision.
The Gambia’s journey to trachoma elimination
In April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that The Gambia has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Here, four people tell their stories about reaching this life-changing milestone.
Read the story
How we’re making a difference
Yaya caught trachoma four years ago. As his sight deteriorated, he suffered constant pain and was unable to fulfil his duties as head of the village. But thanks to a straightforward operation, the pain is gone and he is once again leading his community. Read Yaya’s story
Your donation could help to protect sight
DONATEMore from western Africa
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.
Saio’s story
Saio has a physical disability that affects her feet and makes walking difficult, meaning she was missing out on a lot of her education. A Sightsavers-supported inclusive education project has provided transport to take her to school and training for her teachers, which has made a huge difference.
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.
“As a woman, you’re always trying to prove that you belong”
Meet Dr Jalikatu, who’s the only female ophthalmologist in Sierra Leone and the head of the national eye care programme.
Eye care and COVID-19: what we’ve learned during the pandemic
Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been to restart our work quickly and safely. Sightsavers staff reveal our how eye care programmes have evolved in the past 18 months.
World’s largest trachoma surveys reach 50th country
Sierra Leone has become the 50th country to be surveyed for trachoma as part of the initiative, with one person being examined for trachoma every 26 seconds since the surveys began in 2012.
We save sight in 30 countries worldwide
Where we work