Prevent a Child from Going Blind in Somalia

This quarter, despite not receiving any funding, we remained proactive undertaking awareness campaigns and a school eye-screening initiative at NESDO Primary and Secondary School, reaching 650 students to promote eye health and key preventive messages.

We found out that the Childhood blindness stems from trauma, vitamin A deficiency, infections, cataracts, glaucoma, refractive errors, and harmful traditional treatments. Prevention requires addressing these root causes.

Key Awareness Topics

• Vitamin A deficiency and measles contribute to corneal scarring and bilateral blindness.
• Trauma from conflict is a leading cause of unilateral childhood blindness.
• Cataracts, glaucoma, refractive errors affect children, especially in underserved areas.

Through our awareness sessions, we educated students and staff about the dangers of harmful traditional practices, the importance of early detection of refractive errors, and the role of proper nutrition including Vitamin A to preserve eye health. These efforts align with best practices observed in similar Somali and African programs, where school screenings have proven effective in identifying children with vision issues, providing referrals or spectacles, and increasing general awareness of eye care needs.

However, had we secured funding this quarter, we could have significantly expanded our reach enabling us to conduct more comprehensive screenings (including spectacle provision), facilitate Vitamin A supplementation, engage in broader community education, and involve parents and teachers in sustained eye-health promotion. Financial support would also have empowered us to strengthen referral pathways and follow-up care further ensuring that children’s sight is protected not just at school, but within the wider community.

We effectively distributed informative brochures, reinforcing our key eye health messages and enhancing students’ understanding through tangible, take-home resources.