Training Teachers in Ethiopia to Save Sight

Set up to bring awareness and understanding to areas struggling with trachoma in Ethiopia, school eye care clubs are a vital tool in the drive to educate communities across about keeping their eyes and their families healthy.

The eye care clubs are run by a number of students who are educated, by their teachers, on good eye care practices. These teachers are trained by skilled Orbis workers on primary eye care and vision testing. These teachers are vital in recognising vision problems and eye diseases, like trachoma.

The trained teachers recognise the impact of educating children on the importance of hand washing, proper latrine use and hygiene, in order to prevent trachoma. The students then communicate to their fellow students in a variety of ways, including singing songs and drama.

The eye care clubs perform different treatment scenarios to the school. They split into two groups, each representing families: one demonstrating the correct way to respond when suffering from an eye infection, the other highlighting the opposite.

These clubs play an enormous role in educating the community. With some schools having thousands of students, the important messages regarding hygiene, quick action and appropriate treatment, have the capacity to reach a vast amount of people at risk of this painful and debilitating condition.

Through your generosity to Orbis you help us to set up more clubs to educate those in at-risk communities about the prevention and treatment of avoidable eye care conditions.