Training Teachers in Ethiopia to Save Sight

Orbis has a vision to eliminate avoidable blindness in the most remote and isolated parts of the world. We believe that, through educating members of local communities, more and more people can learn how to take good care of their eyes and prevent the spread of the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, trachoma.

Trachoma, a painful bacterial infection, can develop into a condition in which eyelids turn inwards and eyelashes scrape the eyeball, causing great pain, corneal ulcers and irreversible blindness.

Schools are an ideal location to educate children and their families about eye health. Orbis organises eye health education for teachers across a region of three million people in southern Ethiopia. These teachers are trained to teach their students and local communities how to identify trachoma and prevent the spread of the devastating disease. They also screen their students for eye diseases, including trachoma.

Thanks to your generous support, Orbis can continue to educate children, thus ensuring that the next generation in Ethiopia grow up without the threat of avoidable blindness.

Orbis is committed to treating and preventing blindness in the poorest regions of the world. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by training local health care workers how to screen patients for diseases like trachoma and perform vital surgeries.

Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection that can spread from person to person through contact with contaminated hands, clothing and flies. After repeated infections, it can develop into trichiasis, in which the eyelids turn inwards so the lashes scrape the cornea. This can lead to permanent blindness.

29-year-old Nigatu Habtamu, from Gamo Gofa, southern Ethiopia, worked as a general nurse for over six years before deciding to help in the fight against trachoma. He participated in a month long Orbis training program and during the practical training, Nigatu showed his dedication by conducting over 31 surgeries in just 20 days. This left the trainers mesmerized.  

Nigatu became a certified surgeon in 2015 and has served in many health centres in Gamo Gofa since his training.

Orbis performs regular assessments on the quality of data and the surgeries conducted by surgeons across project areas. During one such assessment, it was shown that each surgery Nigatu has conducted has been smooth and free of complication.

Thanks to your ongoing support for this project, we can continue to train individuals like Nigatu to perform the highest quality sight-saving surgeries and eliminate trachoma in Ethiopia.