Trachoma is a painful, infectious eye disease that causes redness, irritation, and, if left untreated, can lead to scarring, turned-in eyelashes and eventual blindness.
Trachoma spreads quickly in communities where clean water is scarce. Many of these areas lack the pipes, pumps and sanitation systems that make safe water readily available, leaving entire families vulnerable.
This Christmas, we’re honouring the extraordinary women on the front line of trachoma elimination, women whose dedication brings hope, healing, and sight to their communities.
For 14 years, Health Extension Worker Debritu has been a lifeline to her community. A mother of two, she has spent much of her career learning everything she can about trachoma through Orbis training - how to identify cases, refer patients, and teach families about hygiene and sanitation.
Over the years, she has taken part in countless Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaigns. But the work hasn’t always been easy.
In the beginning, a lot of people were nervous about treatment. Debritu and her team explained that Azithromycin is a simple antibiotic that helps clear trachoma, and that Trachomatous Trichiasis surgery can prevent long-term damage, but many still held back.
But during the MDA campaigns, trust began to grow, and more people started accepting the medicine.
Thanks to her patience and determination, attitudes are changing and sight is being protected. For Debritu, every small breakthrough makes the challenges worthwhile.
For nine years, ophthalmic nurse Mahelet has been a champion of eye care. After receiving Orbis training, she became an Integrated Eye Care Worker and has dedicated herself to supporting families who are most at risk.
A mother of three, she balances long days at the health centre with the responsibilities of home. Some days, she and her colleagues travel for hours to reach remote communities. But as Mahelet knows what is at stake, she makes the tough journey.
Performing Trachomatous Trichiasis surgeries is one of the toughest parts of her job. Many elderly patients are frightened, but she meets their fear with compassion. She takes time to explain the procedure, share stories from past patients, and create a space where people feel safe.
Children come to her with red, swollen, itchy eyes. She knows how quickly early symptoms can become dangerous. Without treatment, scarring causes eyelashes to turn inward and painfully scratch the eye. If left too long, vision is lost.
Thanks to Orbis’s support, early treatment is now reaching more families. But Mahelet knows the struggle isn’t over. Water scarcity, long distances, and harsh living conditions still make prevention a daily challenge.
Yet, she remains determined, teaching communities about hygiene and eye health, and bringing hope to those who need it most.
For 18 years, Teshalech has been a vital link between health services and her community. A mother of three, she has taken part in Orbis training and supported MDA campaigns, always working to connect people with the eye care they need.
One memory has stayed with her.
She recalls convincing an elderly woman to seek Trachomatous Trichiasis surgery. But when the time came for the local anaesthetic, the woman panicked, jumped off the surgical bed, and ran home.
“It was heartbreaking not to be accepted by the very community I serve,” she admits.
But she didn’t give up.
She visited the woman at home, listened to her fears, and gently reassured her. In time, the woman returned to the health centre. She had surgery on both eyes and fully recovered.
“A week later, she came to thank me with a gift,” Teshalech smiles. “Now, she’s one of our strongest advocates.”
Reaching remote communities remains difficult, but her commitment is unwavering:
“My greatest wish is to reach everyone in need and help eliminate trachoma once and for all.”
These women walk long distances, work long hours, and carry immense responsibility, all to protect their communities from a disease no one should suffer from.
Their dedication is the reason families receive medicine. The reason children get treatment. The reason sight is saved.
This Christmas, your support can help them reach even more people and bring us one step closer to eliminating trachoma for good.
Give the gift of sight. Support our Christmas trachoma appeal today.
