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Africa

The population of Africa exceeds 550 million people and half live below the poverty line. The link between vision impairment and blindness, and poverty is well understood. ICEE supports establishing Schools of Optometry coupled with Vision Centres as a way of not only creating sustainable eye care infrastructure, but as an approach which fosters local involvement to build long term sustainability and future independence.

Each country's unique and specific need gives Africa a richly diverse social fabric. Building capacity in such a large and multi-layered culture is only possible through forging and maintaining strong collaborations and advocacy with local governments and stakeholders.

ICEE currently supports 196 sites Vision Centre and 20 Schools of Optometry across the Africa Region.

Our Projects

Eritrea
	Eritrea
	In 2009, ICEE became the supporting partner of the Eritrean government to help implement the Development of Optometry Services Programmme in Eritrea. This project has the aim of meeting the ICEE global initiative of eliminating avoidable blindness and visual impairment... > read more

Ghana
	Ghana
	Ghana is in West Africa, a region with a population of over 200 million people. In Ghana, there are currently a little more than 100 optometrists serving a population of over 22 million. In stark contrast, Australia, with a similar sized population, has more than 4 300 registered... > read more

Malawi
	Malawi
	The ICEE strategy for developing the eye care human resources for Malawi is a collaborative approach, partnering with local public universities in each specific location. In this partnership, the local university hosts the ICEE Global Curriculum for Optometry... > read more

Mozambique
	Mozambique
	According to the Mozambique Poverty Reduction Strategic Programme, only 36% of people have access to a health facility within 30 minutes of their homes. About 30% of the population is not able to access health services and only 50% have... > read more

Nigeria
	Nigeria
	Nigeria is a country in West Africa with a large population of over 155 million people. In 2011, an eye health programme, was launched in two states in Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory and Zamfara state. The programme, Standard Chartered Bank Seeing is Believing... > read more

South Africa
	South Africa
	A milestone was reached in South Africa recently when a single programme reached its goal of giving 1 000 000 eye examinations and screenings. The success of the Giving Sight to KwaZulu-Natal programme has sparked a future... > read more

Tanzania
	Tanzania
	With over 10 million Tanzanians struggling with poor vision simply due to the need for an eye examination and a pair of glasses, the country is in great need of increased eye care services. The launch of six Vision Centres supported by ICEE in regional hospitals across Tanzania... > read more

Uganda
	Uganda
	In Uganda, progress has moved ahead in training local eye care professionals since ICEE first established a presence in 2008 and initiated a two phase project through the National Intervention on Uncorrected Refractive Errors(uncorrected vision impairment), a four year programme spanning the years 2008-2012... > read more