Sightsavers and Irish Aid

Our vital partnership with Irish Aid enables us to change thousands of lives in four countries in West and Central Africa.

Since 2006, Sightsavers Ireland has worked with Irish Aid to empower communities and improve people’s lives in Cameroon, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Through Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership for A Better World grant, we run programmes in eye health, inclusive education, citizenship and political participation, climate action, and global citizenship education in Africa and Ireland.

How we’re making a difference

Leonie sits around a table during a meeting with a group of other women. She's talking animatedly.

Fighting for disability rights

In many African countries, people with disabilities who want to vote in elections find they face obstacles. Since 2011, with funding from Irish Aid, we’ve been supporting people with disabilities to take part in the democratic process in Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Senegal.
Citizenship and political participation in Cameroon

Arthur smiles in the classroom while wearing his new spectacles.

Improving 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.
How we’re supporting Liberia’s eye health system

Saio sits in a classroom wearing a surgical masks. Behind her, there are rows of desks with other students.

Delivering inclusive education

We believe all children, especially girls, should have the chance to go to school. In Senegal, we’re working to ensure students with disabilities can learn alongside their classmates: we’re training teachers, providing resources and promoting inclusive education.
Read about our education programme in Senegal

A female researcher speaks to a woman about her experience of female genital schistosomiasis.

Challenging gender discrimination

Women with disabilities in Sierra Leone are less likely to access health care. We’ve identified the common barriers they face so we can address them in our work, such as challenging stigma about disability, providing transport and increasing awareness about services.
Our work on equality for women and girls

Two women wear virtual reality headsets at an event in Ireland. One of the women is supported by another women wearing a Sightsavers t-shirt.

Promoting global citizenship

We run educational workshops and public events in Ireland to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of eye health and disability inclusion. We also work with organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) in Ireland and Africa.
Our global citizenship education

Boulders in a river beneath a canopy of trees.

Tackling climate change

People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate change due to the existing barriers they face in accessing resources and services. The funding from Irish Aid enables us to expand our climate action work and use our learnings to inform future programmes.
How inclusive education can create a sustainable future

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What we’ve achieved with Irish Aid

We’ve run a pilot programme in eight schools in Sierra Leone to include elements of inclusive citizenship in the national curriculum, and developed a guide for young people with disabilities on how to engage in active citizenship.
We’ve drafted an inclusive education policy in Senegal that will transform education for children with disabilities and identified the challenges girls with disabilities face in accessing education.
We’ve rolled out a leadership programme in Liberia to equip young people with disabilities with the skills and confidence they need to advocate for their rights and participate actively in their communities.
We’ve led training workshops in Cameroon to enhance the leadership and participation of women with disabilities working in OPDs or government.
We’ve mapped the existing climate action activities of our partners and local organisations to inform our work and prioritise reaching the most marginalised.

How Irish Aid is supporting our work with schools

Sightsavers and schools

More from Sightsavers and Irish Aid

Three partners sit at a table with table name badges in front of them.

News / Education /

With Sightsavers’ support, the government of Cameroon has adopted a national policy to deliver quality and equitable inclusive education for people with disabilities.

November 2024

Blogs / Disability and inclusion /

Sightsavers’ Laurène Leclercq shares successes from an award-winning project in Cameroon and Senegal that’s supporting people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of political life.

Laurène Leclercq, March 2023

Vision technician Ruth Zeo points to an eye chart during an eye screening

Blogs / Eye health /

Liberia's National Eye Health Policy will ensure eye health is a priority and help strengthen the wider health system by developing a sustainable, inclusive eye care service.

Nazaradden Ibrahim, September 2023

We protect sight, fight disease and make sure everyone can claim their rights.

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