By Leslie Mulvey | Orbis Intern
Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world and can be easily spread through touching eyes, hands and even dirty clothes. It can be treated, but only if it is caught in time. It can be prevented, but only if the local sanitation is improved.
In rural regions of Ethiopia, clean water is hard to come by. This lack of water, coupled with a lack of knowledge around why hygiene is so important, means people are more at risk of contracting blinding diseases such as trachoma.
At present, community members have to travel long distances to fetch water and many of the water-pumps are non-functional. The water collected in such way is very precious and will be used for vital household functions, and face and hand washing is deemed to be not a priority.
Orbis plans to eliminate trachoma in remote regions of Ethiopia in the hope to cure thousands of people suffering from the painful, blinding and life-destroying eye disease - trachoma. We will achieve this by ensuring communities have access to clean water and sanitation is improved.
Therefore, Orbis, along with a local NGO, has started repairing water pumps in project areas. And, Orbis will construct a number of latrines in local schools and communities.
Thanks to your generous support, Orbis continues to prevent the spreading of the highly infectious eye disease, trachoma.
Supplying clean and accessible water and sanitation reduces the incidence of trachoma and prevents many people entering a world of permanent blindness.
Thank You!
By Leslie Mulvey | Orbis Intern
By Diane Weatherup | Development Director
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