Restoring Vision in Ethiopia within 20 Minutes

How can Bishashe still be at risk of blindness from a disease wiped out in Ireland nearly 70 years ago?

Bishashe lives with her family in a rural village near Arba Minch, Ethiopia. Like many in her community, she values education as a pathway to a brighter future. But trachoma, the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness, threatens that future.

Trachoma is the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness, caused by repeated bacterial eye infections. Over time, it leads to scarring of the eyelids, forcing the eyelashes to turn inward and painfully scratch the eye. Without treatment, it can result in permanent blindness. Ethiopia bears 50% of the global burden, making it one of the most affected countries in the world.

Without access to nearby eye care, many people in Arba Minch face unnecessary vision loss simply because treatment is out of reach. That’s why Orbis brings essential eye care where it’s needed most. Thanks to a local vision center supported by Orbis, Bishashe received 20 minute sight-saving surgery—restoring not just her vision, but her work opportunities and her social life. The picture shows how happy she was to receive this very basic, yet effective surgery.

Trachoma should no longer exist, yet it continues to affect millions, especially women and children. Every infection is one step closer to permanent blindness, making it harder to pursue education and build a promising future .

Together, we can end avoidable blindness. Donate today and help bring sight-saving care to more people like Bishashe.

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Mulunesh is a Health Worker at Wosherbe Health Centre in Ethiopia. Trained by Orbis, she plays a vital role in fighting trachoma, a painful bacterial eye disease, and the leading cause of blindness in the region. Her responsibilities include performing surgery to reverse the effects of blinding trachoma, identifying and treating active trachoma cases, and educating communities on facial cleanliness and proper sanitation, such as covering latrines to help prevent the spread of the disease.

In her own words, Mulunesh shares the impact of her work:
"I will be very happy when trachoma is eliminated. There are lots of people affected by this disease, lots of people who will just sit at home blind because of this."

Despite the challenges of working in a region with limited access to clean water, which exacerbates the spread of trachoma, Mulunesh’s commitment to her community is unwavering. She highlights the importance of her role in strengthening the eye care services at the health centre. "I do this work because it benefits society, and also because it helps strengthen the eye care unit in the centre."

For the past two years, Mulunesh has been providing essential eye care services to her community. Her daily work involves seeing patients with trachoma, performing surgeries when necessary, and following up with individuals. On some days, she performs up to 10 surgeries.

The areas Mulunesh works in face significant challenges, including poverty and a lack of health facilities and clean water. These factors make Mulunesh’s work even more critical. Her dedication to her patients, along with her personal connection to the issue—having seen her own grandfather lose his sight due to diabetes—fuels her passion for eye care.

Through her work, Mulunesh is bringing hope to those affected by trachoma in her community. 

None of this would be possible without the incredible support from people like you. Your generosity enables Orbis to train health workers like Mulunesh and bring essential eye care services closer to communities in need.

Thank you for making this life-changing work possible!

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