In Ethiopia, more women than men are blind due to eye diseases such as trachoma. This blinding eye disease is spread from child to mother through direct personal contact. Without treatment, trachoma leads to blindness. It's a sad reality that 50% of children who go blind in Ethiopia, will die within two years. Orbis is working to change this by eliminating this disease in Ethiopia. With your help, Orbis will ensure the next generation of women and girls grow up without the threat of blindness.
Trachoma disfigures and blinds three times as many women as men. Trachoma is a disease that is both preventable and treatable, yet trachoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Trachoma begins in childhood with an acute infection and progresses over many years. If left untreated, this disease is painful, debilitating and will eventually lead to blindness,
Orbis offers an inclusive community-based programme that offers freedom from trachoma for all, but specifically and deliberately target women and girls. Orbis will ensure that women are reached with vital health education so that they can protect themselves, and their children, from trachoma. They will be reached with treatment to cure current infections. They will have access to water and sanitation, and they will benefit from eye surgery in a way that they can easily access it.
Together, we can turn blinding trachoma from an accepted sad fact of life to a condition of the past and free families from this terrible disease.With gender-equitable programming, it is possible to reduce exposure to trachoma risk factors, increase access to preventive and curative health services, and build local capacity to sustain long-term reductions in trachoma.
