OUR WORK IN KENYA

In Kenya, 88% of people who are blind don’t need to be. Blindness can be prevented or corrected with straightforward, inexpensive measures. However, for the 74% of Kenyans living in rural areas, access to health services is extremely limited.

Blindness is both a cause and consequence of poverty. People who are often blind cannot work, go to school or live independently.

Some may need the care of another family member, usually a young girl, who also misses out on work or education. Women in Kenya are more likely to suffer blindness than men.

OUR GOALS

In 2018, with the support of the Australian public, the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Standard Chartered Bank and The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, we are implementing more than US $3.7 million in programs to eliminate avoidable blindness in Kenya.

Our head office is in Nairobi, with project locations across 13 counties. The team is supported by The Foundation’s medical, education, policy and research expertise. The Foundation is not simply treating people with eye conditions - we are integrating eye health into the national and county health systems to build an entire system that can operate sustainably.

We will continue to work in partnership with the Government of Kenya and the 13 County Governments to:

•Increase the surgical rates and improve quality of eye health services focussing on cataract, trachoma, uncorrected refractive error and childhood blindness

• Strengthen community engagement and capacity to increase demand and uptake of high-quality health services, with a special focus on women

• Support and strengthen health systems at national and county level to effectively plan, resource and monitor eye health services

• Develop strategic and effective partnerships for sustained eye health outcomes

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Since we started working in Kenya in 2004, The Foundation has increased coverage of eye health services through the establishment of diverse partnerships with county governments, health training institutions,community-based organisations and the private sector.

During this time, we have demonstrated that quality eye care can be delivered by mid-level ophthalmic workers and that the large backlog of cases awaiting surgery can be eliminated. In close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, The Foundation has transformed trachoma programming through the innovation of TT+, an integrated, cost-effective outreach model.

This model has contributed to the reduction in transmission of trachoma in the country and is now being adopted in other countries.

2019 RESULTS

Helping people see:

175,894 people screened

38,174 eye operations and treatments performed including:

14,085 cataract operations

376 diabetic retinopathy treatments

515 surgeries to treat trachoma

23,198 other sight saving or improving interventions 839,656 people treated with antibiotics for trachoma

2,362 pairs of glasses distributed

Investing in people

3,265 people trained including:

4 surgeons

84 clinic support staff

2,477 community health workers

907,277 school children and community members educated in eye health and sanitation

Equipment and Technology

9 medical facilities equipped

Where We Work in Kenya

CONTACT US

Phone: +254 20 27 11 844

Office Address: One Padmore Place, 2nd Floor, West Wing, George Padmore Road - Kilimani

Email: kenya@hollows.org

THIS has been your impact over the last year

In 2019, The Foundation focused on building a powerful eye health network with other partners and organisations to achieve more - this is having a massive impact!

The Fred Hollows Foundation hasn’t stopped for 28 years, and we won’t stop until no-one faces a future of avoidable blindness.

This year will be our toughest year yet, and now more than ever we will rely on our loyal donors to continue our life-changing work. Thank you for staying with us! Like what you see? Give us a like, share this video, and subscribe! Subscribe to our channel here: http://bit.ly/2b1oCXu