Training Teachers in Ethiopia to Save Sight

In poverty-stricken regions, such as the village of Dokotu in Southern Ethiopia, people are under the constant threat of contracting Trachoma - a painful and blinding eye disease. 

Trachoma is highly infectious and can easily be transmitted between infected and healthy eyes by flies or infected clothing, and a lack of clean water to wash. 

Trachoma could be avoided with proper treatment. 

Asnaqench lives in the village of Dokotu which has 2,000 inhabitants. She is the leader of Dokotu’s women's group and as such is trained in eye health care by Orbis. Her role is to spread the word about the importance of taking care of your eyes. 

Asnaqench explains her experience: 

“I have seen trachoma in my community for many years. I see how it works – the eye is itchy, then red, the tears come and the pain and then they lose their sight. 

Thanks to Orbis, now we know how to stop it – better sanitation, face washing, and simple operations if needed. The other women and I are agents, here for the people to fight trachoma. We have learned much from Orbis. 

I don’t know if trachoma will be beaten, but all my life I will try." 

The training of local people in eye -health, like Asnaqech, is crucial in the battle to beat trachoma.  

Without your generous support, such training would not be possible. 

Thank you so much!