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Celebrating our health workers

As we thank all our health workers on World Health Day, meet six who have worked with Sightsavers to help improve eye care for people in their communities.

Madhumita Das

Community health worker, Sundarbans, India

“My name is Madhumita Das. I’m a community health worker and my role is to visit homes and talk to people about eye care. I tell them that if they have any eye problem that they should visit the vision centre; that there are technicians available who can assess their problems. I hand out leaflets with the address and opening times on.”

Madhumita’s work is part of our Sundarbans Eye Health Service Strengthening project, funded through Standard Chartered’s Seeing is Believing programme.

Find out more about how we halved blindness in the Sundarbans as part of the project.

Women showing health information to a crowd. — Madhumita provides health information to the community.

Mary Bachokyiri

Community drug distributor, Ghana

“Before the distribution of the drugs we had blind people. After the distribution of the drugs, I have seen changes – those people who have been affected are OK now.

“If the oncho [river blindness] is eliminated I will be happy myself and the community will also be happy.”

Women handing out medicine in a village. — Mary distributes medicine in rural communities.

Suraju Dayyabu

Ophthalmic nurse, Nigeria

“We are proud that our work is contributing positively to the prevention of blindness from avoidable causes. We are extremely delighted that our programmes bring hope and positively impact the lives of individuals and the communities that we serve. We are proud to be positive change agents, ensuring that no one is left behind…

“When trachoma is eliminated in Sokoto it will be the happiest and most fulfilling moment for me!!!”

The project Suraju works on helps teach children the importance of washing. The project is improving access to quality eye health services for children in three northern states of Nigeria and helping to teach children the importance of face and hand washing for prevention of eye infections.

Find out more about our work in Nigeria

Gibrilla Sesay

Ophthalmic nurse, Sierra Leone

“In 2009, I was sponsored by Sightsavers to study ophthalmic nursing. They sponsored me, and I finished; I worked at the eye department of a government hospital before I was posted in Makeni to start an eye care service in this northern region.

“There is a growing awareness of eye health in Makeni… We are on the ground visiting these communities, doing our daily screening and giving treatment to them.”

Find out more about our work in Sierra Leone

A group of smiling children. — Gibrilla helps us to reach vulnerable people, especially women, girls and people with disabilities, in under-served areas.

James Lumoria

Community health volunteer, Kenya

“My main work in this village is sanitation; teaching people how to wash their hands and wash their faces. Also how to dig the latrines and use them properly. I also identify the trachoma cases in these villages and bring these cases to the doctors for surgery.

“I want this disease to be eliminated, to find a way for many people to get assistance and be healed. When trachoma affects someone, their eyes are damaged and it totally changes their life. Trachoma must be eliminated for people to have better lives.”

Find out more about our work in Kenya

Two men riding motorcycles in rural Kenya. — James rides a motorcycle to reach remote communities.

Martha Chapote

TT (trachomatous trichiasis) surgeon, Tanzania

“I love this work because I help people to get vision again. The people are troubled, complaining all the time, [their eyes] tearing. So it’s helping those patients by removing that pain, so they feel comfortable again.

“Today was a good day. Yesterday was a fright for many of the patients. Maybe they think: ‘What are they going to do to my eyes? Maybe they do something bad.’ But today, they get vision.”

Find out more about our work in Tanzania