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Sightsavers and Irish Aid

Our partnership with Irish Aid will enable us to change thousands of lives in four countries in West Africa.

In 2017, Sightsavers received a development funding grant from Irish Aid to support our work in West Africa.

The grant supports work in four countries – Cameroon, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone – to enable us to save sight and change lives while delivering measurable results and accountability. The investment will help us:

  • improve eye healthcare in Sierra Leone, Senegal and Liberia
  • treat and prevent neglected tropical diseases such as river blindness
  • improve education opportunities for children with disabilities
  • ensure people with disabilities have a voice and play an active role in the political process
  • campaign for the rights of people with disabilities, and engage the Irish public to support our campaign work.

Our partnership with Irish Aid also enables Sightsavers Ireland to engage the Irish public through our nationwide schools engagement programme, teaching primary school students about the importance of sight and the daily challenge of living with disability. In this way, the schools programme raises awareness about the UN’s Global Goals (also known as the Sustainable Development Goals), which are crucial for the future of millions of people around the world.

Irish Aid: Department of Foreign Affairs logo

How Irish Aid is supporting our work

A young girl reading a school exercise book.

Promoting inclusive education

We believe all children should have the chance to go to school. In Senegal, we’re working with Irish Aid to ensure students with disabilities can learn alongside their classmates: we’re training teachers, providing resources and promoting inclusive education.
Read Seynabou’s story

Leonie, who is wearing a medical face mask, gestures while doing a presentation.

Fighting for disability rights

In Cameroon, people with disabilities who want to vote in elections find they face many obstacles. Since 2011, with funding from Irish Aid, Sightsavers has been supporting people with disabilities to take part in the democratic process in Cameroon.
Our political work in Cameroon

A close-up of a health worker helping a patient to wash their leg, which has a large sore on it. The health worker is wearing gloves.

Protecting against disease

More than 6.9 million people in Sierra Leone are at risk of lymphatic filariasis, a debilitating disease that causes painful disfigurement. We’re working with Irish Aid to educate communities at risk, and are training local volunteers to give out vital medication.
About lymphatic filariasis

Young girl stands with her hand outstretched to receive medication from a woman holding a spoon and pill bottle

Providing essential eye care

It's thought that up to half the people in Liberia live in rural areas that lack basic eye health services. With the help of Irish Aid, we’re training staff, providing sight-saving operations and encouraging the government to strengthen its eye care policies.
More from Liberia

How Irish Aid is supporting our work with schools

Sightsavers and schools

More from Sightsavers and Irish Aid

A woman in a pink headscarf smiling at the camera.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

Khady’s story

“I met so many children with disabilities who were not going to school and there was no institution to welcome them. So I started fighting for that aim.”

Nanny Powers holds her voting card.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

Nanny’s story

Nanny Powers founded Cameroon’s National Association of Persons with Short Stature, a disability organisation for people with restricted growth.

Abdul walking outside his school with a backpack on
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

Education for all in Sierra Leone

Abdul is one of many children who has benefited from the Education for All project that aims to give all children with disabilities access to a better quality education.

Michel Fozeu sits at a table wearing headphones and speaking into a microphone.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

Michel’s story

“The message we want to give through this radio show is that people with disabilities in Cameroon are able to take part in the electoral process.”

Two young girls sitting together and smiling.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

Seynabou’s story

One day Seynabou heard a visiting teacher talk about an inclusive school for children with disabilities, and she jumped at the chance to go.