PROVIDE A SCHOOL WITH ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER

Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, and Ethiopia carries one of the highest burdens globally. Yet blindness from trachoma is preventable.

For more than two decades, Orbis has worked with the Ethiopian Government, local health authorities, schools, communities and partners to eliminate trachoma and strengthen sustainable eye care services. Our goal is to help Ethiopia eliminate trachoma as a public health problem by 2030.

Orbis follows the World Health Organization’s SAFE strategy:

• Surgery to correct turned-in eyelashes and prevent blindness.
• Antibiotics to stop infection and reduce transmission.
• Facial Cleanliness to promote hygiene and prevent spread.
• Environmental Improvements to increase access to clean water and sanitation.

Lasting change goes beyond treatment. Orbis trains eye care professionals, supports schools and communities, improves access to water and sanitation, and empowers local leaders to protect eye health for future generations.

Seven-year-old Serawit lives in rural Ethiopia, where many families walk over an hour to reach a safe water source.

At her school, a water harvesting tank supported through Orbis programmes is helping change that. Children can wash their hands and faces with clean water every day, an essential step in preventing trachoma.

For Serawit and her classmates, clean water means healthier days in school, fewer preventable infections and greater opportunities to learn, grow and reach their full potential.

Together, we are helping communities break the cycle of disease and build a future where no one loses their sight to a preventable condition.