Voices from 2022: our year in review
Discover what Sightsavers has achieved in the past year – as told by the people who accomplished it, and the people whose lives were transformed
Voices from 2022:
our year in review
Discover what Sightsavers has achieved in the past year – as told by the people who accomplished it, and the people whose lives were transformed
2022 was a year of contrasts.
On one hand, the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to recede in many regions. By the end of the year, all of Sightsavers’ programmes were back up and running across Africa and Asia.
On the other, a global financial slowdown and rising inflation were beginning to bite, with many people struggling to afford basic goods. And the pandemic continued to disproportionally affect people with disabilities.
Despite this, our cash income stayed fairly steady compared with previous years. We lost a large sum when the British government cut its development spending. But a number of philanthropists donated significant amounts, enabling us to launch several new programmes.
During the year we were able to reach millions of people around the world. We helped to provide sight-restoring eye operations for 450,000 people, and distributed 135 million treatments to tackle debilitating diseases. We also supported more than 13,000 children with disabilities to go to school.
Watch the video: Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper shares her 2022 highlights.
Looking to the future, we’re optimistic but cautious. Our loyal staff and partners, plus our dedicated supporters, mean we can continue our life-changing work amid a tough economic environment.
To celebrate, we’re sharing some of our biggest achievements from the year, in the words of the people who made it happen.
2022 was a year of contrasts.
On one hand, the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to recede in many regions. By the end of the year, all of Sightsavers’ programmes were back up and running across Africa and Asia.
On the other, a global financial slowdown and rising inflation were beginning to bite, with many people struggling to afford basic goods. And the pandemic continued to disproportionally affect people with disabilities.
Despite this, our income stayed fairly steady compared with previous years. We lost a large sum when the British government cut its development spending. But a number of philanthropists donated significant amounts, enabling us to launch several new programmes.
During the year we were able to reach millions of people around the world. We helped to provide sight-restoring eye operations for 450,000 people, and distributed 135 million treatments to tackle debilitating diseases. We also supported more than 13,000 children with disabilities to go to school.
Looking to the future, we’re optimistic but cautious. Our loyal staff and partners, plus our dedicated supporters, mean we can continue our life-changing work amid a tough economic environment.
To celebrate, we’re sharing some of our biggest achievements from the year, in the words of the people who made it happen.
Watch the video: Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper shares her 2022 highlights.
Our achievements
We helped to end trachoma in Malawi
Bright Chiwaula
Malawi country director
“Eliminating a disease on this scale is a massive achievement for our country. Thanks to hard work, commitment and collaboration between government, health workers, volunteers and organisations like Sightsavers, 9.5 million people are no longer at risk of losing their sight to trachoma.
“Malawi’s triumph provides hope and encouragement to our neighbours still working to eliminate the disease. To these countries I say: the strategy we are using works. Keep going!”
Our colleague Gertrude was re-elected to the UN disability committee
Natasha Kennedy
Director of campaigns and communications
“Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame is Sightsavers’ global advocacy manager for social inclusion. I’m thrilled she was re-elected to the committee that oversees the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), along with five other women. We welcome the progress on women’s representation, which is essential to ensure the work of the committee encompasses the experience of women with disabilities.
“There is still work to do to ensure people with a range of impairments are represented on the committee. It is also vital that people with disabilities, especially women, are represented on other human rights treaty bodies. We encourage UN member states to ensure their nominations processes are as accessible as possible and to use their votes to promote diversity.”
Our petition for the Global Disability Summit gathered 30,000 signatures
Tessa Murphy
Head of campaigns
“The Actions Speak Louder petition, calling for governments and global organisations to attend the summit, gained 30,143 signatures from 111 countries. It was part of Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign, and was handed in to government ministers in participating countries through Sightsavers’ country offices.
“We’re hugely grateful to the thousands of people who signed the petition and supported our campaign. The Global Disability Summit is a pivotal moment for the world to make progress on disability rights, and it’s vital that decision-makers not only attend, but also make ambitious, properly financed commitments to disability-inclusive global development.”
We’ve helped to reduce avoidable blindness in Pakistan
Munazza Gillani
Pakistan country director
“In 2022, Pakistan’s National Survey of Blindness and Vision Impairment showed that avoidable blindness has more than halved in the past decade for the over 50s, falling from 7% in 2004 to 2% in 2022.
“This ground-breaking achievement comes after years of effort to address the inequalities of eye care, supported by Sightsavers and other organisations. This has included improving access to and quality of eye care services, particularly for marginalised groups and people with disabilities, and enhancing eye health infrastructure.
“The Pakistan government and other organisations are committed to reducing the burden of vision impairment, but we cannot be complacent. The eye health crisis is not inevitable; we can stop it if we come together to act now.”
“It’s vital for governments and non-governmental organisations to have access to high-quality data about trachoma, as this allows them to target drug treatments and other resources to the areas that are most in need. The Tropical Data surveys play a critical role in helping countries to eliminate trachoma by gathering this data, and I am glad to be part of the team working on this.
“Field teams have to cross rivers, and vehicles may break down so they have to walk long distances on foot. Occasionally they stray into the wrong areas, but their data is linked to GPS coordinates, so we can help them correct their errors. This is just one of the ways we are making sure countries have high-quality data.”
The Tropical Data project celebrated its 10th birthday
Michael Dejene
Epidemiologist in Ethiopia
Our achievements
We helped to end trachoma in Malawi
Bright Chiwaula
Malawi country director
“Eliminating a disease on this scale is a massive achievement for our country. Thanks to hard work, commitment and collaboration between government, health workers, volunteers and organisations like Sightsavers, 9.5 million people are no longer at risk of losing their sight to trachoma.
“Malawi’s triumph provides hope and encouragement to our neighbours still working to eliminate the disease. To these countries I say: the strategy we are using works. Keep going!”
Hear how people’s lives have changed now trachoma is gone
Our colleague Gertrude was re-elected to the UN disability committee
Natasha Kennedy
Director of campaigns and communications
“Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame is Sightsavers’ global advocacy manager for social inclusion. I’m thrilled that she was re-elected to the committee that oversees the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), along with five other women. We welcome the progress on women’s representation, which is essential to ensure the work of the committee encompasses the experience of women with disabilities.
“There is still work to do to ensure people with a range of impairments are represented on the committee. It is also vital that people with disabilities, especially women, are represented on other human rights treaty bodies. We encourage UN member states to ensure their nominations processes are as accessible as possible and to use their votes to promote diversity.”
Our petition for the Global Disability Summit gathered 30,000 signatures
Tessa Murphy
Head of campaigns
“The Actions Speak Louder petition, calling for governments and global organisations to attend the summit, gained 30,143 signatures from 111 countries. It was part of Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign, and was handed in to government ministers in participating countries through Sightsavers’ country offices.
“We’re hugely grateful to the thousands of people who signed the petition and supported our campaign. The Global Disability Summit is a pivotal moment for the world to make progress on disability rights, and it’s vital that decision-makers not only attend, but also make ambitious, properly financed commitments to disability-inclusive global development.”
We’ve helped to reduce avoidable blindness in Pakistan
Munazza Gillani
Pakistan country director
“In 2022, Pakistan’s National Survey of Blindness and Vision Impairment showed that avoidable blindness has more than halved in the past decade for the over 50s, falling from 7% in 2004 to 2% in 2022.
“This ground-breaking achievement comes after years of effort to address the inequalities of eye care, supported by Sightsavers and other organisations. This has included improving access to and quality of eye care services, particularly for marginalised groups and people with disabilities, and enhancing eye health infrastructure.
“The Pakistan government and other organisations are committed to reducing the burden of vision impairment, but we cannot be complacent. The eye health crisis is not inevitable; we can stop it if we come together to act now.”
More about our work in Pakistan
The Tropical Data project celebrated its 10th birthday
Michael Dejene
Epidemiologist in Ethiopia
“It’s vital for governments and non-governmental organisations to have access to high-quality data about trachoma, as this allows them to target drug treatments and other resources to the areas that are most in need. The Tropical Data surveys play a critical role in helping countries to eliminate trachoma by gathering this data, and I am glad to be part of the team working on this.
“Field teams have to cross rivers, and vehicles may break down so they have to walk long distances on foot. Occasionally they stray into the wrong areas, but their data is linked to GPS coordinates, so we can help them correct their errors. This is just one of the ways we are making sure countries have high-quality data.”
How we made an impact
I want to become a doctor, so I can help people just like me
Asmau, Nigeria
“Before my cataract surgery, I didn’t see at all. When I wanted to study the Quran, I had to lift it very close to my eyes. At school, when there was something written on the board, I could see other children writing but I was not able to write because I couldn’t see. I would sit down and cry.
“But now I can see what’s written on the board, so there’s a big difference. I am very thankful to God for my ability to see better. I feel happy. I want to be a doctor so that I can help people just like me. I want to become an ophthalmologist.”
My burden has eased! Now I can farm and stand on my own
Jane, Kenya
“People with disabilities have several challenges, and supporting yourself becomes an uphill task. Women with a disability don’t have means of sourcing funds. When you ask for help, that person knows you cannot repay the money, so we don’t usually get help.
“I am a farmer, producing sorghum, but you can’t farm alone – you have to use money. If we use fertilisers, we can get a better return, but we don’t have the money to buy it. We got involved in the Global Labor Program because at first the people were giving us fertilisers. This help means we can stand on our own, and now we work on our own. When you farm sorghum, you have money. You can sell some, you can eat some.
“Since I got into this programme, my burden has eased. It has brought me to another level in life. I’ve had the opportunity to go through buildings that I could never even thought of climbing. So it has changed our lives, and I know it will continue.”
One student with a disability was so proud: she was being treated as a person
Awa, Senegal
“As a teacher, I’ve learned so much since we started taking part in the inclusive education programme, especially the psychological side and looking after children with disabilities. The main success is socialisation. We found that children prefer to be at school than at home – it means they have not been marginalised.
“One girl with a disability said that now, in the morning when the other students take their bags to go to school, she too can take her bag to go to school. She was so proud. She said that in class, the teacher called her by her name – that is something that stood out. She was being treated as a person in her own right.”
We’re making sure everyone can get eye care
Upendo, assistant eye doctor, Tanzania
“The rural villages of Singida are very poor compared to other provinces: the area has many people with eye problems. Most are older people. Before, eye care services were poor. The specialist doctor did not have a single piece of equipment for his work.
“When Sightsavers’ inclusive eye health project came, we were able to extend our services to the villages, near the patients. We bought equipment and advertised the services. We have educated the community, and people have seen the importance of treating eye problems.
“My greatest achievement is helping so many people in Singida. Many came with eye problems; some I had to advise to go to a bigger hospital to get treatment, but there are others I was able to help with my own hands. They could not see, now I have operated on them so they can see. That is my biggest success.”
I’m able to do things I couldn’t do before
Salifat, Nigeria
“When the swelling and fever started, I thought it was caused by malaria, so my children took me to hospital. The staff treated me as best they could and I felt a bit better, so I went home. But the swelling in my legs continued.
“A year later, a health worker told me I had a disease called lymphatic filariasis. I went to a training session where they taught us exercises to help with the swelling. We were taught how to wash and dry our legs and given ointment.
“Since the training I have gotten better. I am able to do things I wasn’t able to do before – even my walking has improved. We should take care of our bodies: my wish for myself is to have good health and strength. If God grants me a long life, I want to see my grandchildren have a good education, get married and build houses.”
I distribute medicine that protects people from trachoma
Sadiq Mohammad, Yemen
“I used to be a doctor’s assistant. But when this campaign started, it was a great opportunity to join in. Trachoma has spread in the area, especially among young children. We need to reach them so we can protect them and eliminate the disease.
“I was trained how to give the medicine. Young children are given ointment or syrup. We offer three tablets to children aged seven to 14, depending on their size, and adults over 15 are given four pills.
“I’m popular in this area and I have good connections, so people accept the medicine with a smile. I introduce myself and reassure them through how well they know me: they know I would never offer them anything harmful. If another person came from outside, they wouldn’t trust him as easily and may refuse the treatment.
“One lady was very afraid of the side effects: I reassured her and told her the medicine is safe. She accepted the treatment: she is using it now and she is fine.”
How we made an impact
I want to become a doctor, so I can help people just like me
Asmau, Nigeria
“Before my cataract surgery, I didn’t see at all. When I wanted to study the Quran, I had to lift it very close to my eyes. At school, when there was something written on the board, I could see other children writing, but I was not able to write because I couldn’t see. I would sit down and cry.
“But now I can see what’s written on the board, so there’s a big difference. I am very thankful to God for my ability to see better. I feel happy. I want to be a doctor so that I can help people just like me. I want to become an ophthalmologist.”
Read about Asmau and her family
My burden has eased! Now I can farm and stand on my own
Jane, Kenya
“People with disabilities have several challenges, and supporting yourself becomes an uphill task. Women with a disability don’t have means of sourcing funds. When you ask for help, that person knows you cannot repay the money, so we don’t usually get help.
“I am a farmer, producing sorghum, but you can’t farm alone – you have to use money. If we use fertilisers, we can get a better return, but we don’t have the money to buy it. We got involved in the Global Labor Program because at first the people were giving us fertilisers. This help means we can stand on our own, and now we work on our own. When you farm sorghum, you have money. You can sell some, you can eat some.
“Since I got into this programme, my burden has eased. It has brought me to another level in life. I’ve had the opportunity to go through buildings that I could never even thought of climbing. So it has changed our lives, and I know it will continue.”
Read Jane’s story on the Inclusive Futures website
We’re making sure everyone can get eye care
Upendo, assistant eye doctor, Tanzania
“The rural villages of Singida are very poor compared to other provinces: the area has many people with eye problems. Most are older people. Before, eye care services were poor. The specialist doctor did not have a single piece of equipment for his work.
“When Sightsavers’ inclusive eye health project came, we were able to extend our services to the villages, near the patients. We bought equipment and advertised the services. We have educated the community, and people have seen the importance of treating eye problems.
“My greatest achievement is helping so many people in Singida. Many came with eye problems; some I had to advise to go to a bigger hospital to get treatment, but there are others I was able to help with my own hands. They could not see, now I have operated on them so they can see. That is my biggest success.”
Read Upendo’s story and learn more about the project
One student with a disability was so proud: she was being treated as a person
Awa, Senegal
“As a teacher, I’ve learned so much since we started taking part in the inclusive education programme, especially the psychological side and looking after children with disabilities. The main success is socialisation. We found that children prefer to be at school than at home – it means they have not been marginalised.
“One girl with a disability said that now, in the morning when the other students take their bags to go to school, she too can take her bag to go to school. She was so proud. She said that in class, the teacher called her by her name – that is something that stood out. She was being treated as a person in her own right.”
Inclusive education in Senegal
I’m able to do things I couldn’t do before
Salifat, Nigeria
“When the swelling and fever started, I thought it was caused by malaria, so my children took me to hospital. The staff treated me as best they could and I felt a bit better, so I went home. But the swelling in my legs continued.
“A year later, a health worker told me I had a disease called lymphatic filariasis. I went to a training session where they taught us exercises to help with the swelling. We were taught how to wash and dry our legs and given ointment.
“Since the training I have gotten better. I am able to do things I wasn’t able to do before – even my walking has improved. We should take care of our bodies: my wish for myself is to have good health and strength. If God grants me a long life, I want to see my grandchildren have a good education, get married and build houses.”
I distribute medicine that protects people from trachoma
Sadiq Mohammad, Yemen
“I used to be a doctor’s assistant. But when this campaign started, it was a great opportunity to join in. Trachoma has spread in the area, especially among young children. We need to reach them so we can protect them and eliminate the disease.
“I was trained how to give the medicine. Young children are given ointment or syrup. We offer three tablets to children aged seven to 14, depending on their size, and adults over 15 are given four pills.
“I’m popular in this area and I have good connections, so people accept the medicine with a smile. I introduce myself and reassure them through how well they know me: they know I would never offer them anything harmful. If another person came from outside, they wouldn’t trust him as easily and may refuse the treatment.
“One lady was very afraid of the side effects: I reassured her and told her the medicine is safe. She accepted the treatment: she is using it now and she is fine.”
Around
the world
Kenya’s Global Labor Program will improve the rights of thousands of people with disabilities
Simon Brown
Technical lead for economic empowerment
“This programme in Kenya, part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, aims to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities, particularly women, and improve labour rights. It’s funded by USAID, and will work with East African Breweries Limited (EABL), owned by Diageo, and Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Kenya) to ensure inclusion is a key part of their supply and distribution chains.
“I’m thrilled that we have secured more than US$6 million to try to change the way big businesses work on disability inclusion. It’s a very bold programme: what we learn will not only benefit people who are frequently marginalised, but everyone working in supply and distribution chains. And hopefully all big businesses will be paying attention and replicating the approach.”
About the Global Labor Program
Mali has reached the final stage in our fight to end river blindness
Elie Kamate
Former country director
“I started my work on the Mali river blindness project in 1991, in the Kati district. The first village I visited was Fougadoudou in 1993: what I saw was a disaster. There were only about 100 people living there and most were children, women and older people. The young people and men had abandoned the village because of river blindness; they were so scared to contract the disease and become blind.
“The last time I visited Fougadoudou, I was really happy to see everything happening in the village. There are now factories and young people working there. This village, which was once abandoned because of the threat of river blindness, is now reoccupied thanks to successes in the fight against the disease.”
About Mali’s plan to eliminate river blindness
Our Captain Clean board game teaches children in Ethiopia about the importance of hygiene
Samuel Eshitemi Omukuba
Technical manager for WASH and NTDs
“We want to encourage children in Ethiopia to change their behaviour, as part of the country’s efforts to eliminate diseases such as trachoma.
“The aim of the game is not for children to move ahead or to complete the game, but to read the messages on the cards, with the aim that it’s going to translate into behaviour change. For example, a card could say: ‘You did not wash your hands after visiting the toilet. You must move back three steps.’”
In Liberia, we’re studying mosquitoes to learn how diseases are spread
Abakar Gankpala
Research coordinator
“If you live in a rural area and you’ve been consistently bitten by mosquitoes that spread lymphatic filariasis, then you move to the city and are bitten by other mosquitoes, they will pick up the LF parasite from your blood and spread the disease to others.
“So we’ve trained people who can now identify a mosquito, its species, whether it’s fed or unfed, and then how to process the mosquitoes and test them for the disease. The mosquitoes are brought in alive, but the first thing we do is put them to sleep: we don’t want them to escape. Then the researchers categorise them.
“This research is special: it’s going to build capacity for Liberian entomologists and lab technicians.”
Our disability inclusion ambassadors in Ghana are reducing discrimination
Joseph Mensah
Technical adviser for civil society organisation grants
“As part of the Ghana Participation Programme (known as Ghana Somubi Dwumadie), we recruited a group of inclusion ambassadors to tackle negative attitudes against people with disabilities and mental health conditions. They come from different backgrounds, such as teachers, assembly members and religious leaders, and include people with and without disabilities.
“They have helped to inform, educate and influence people in their communities, as well as encouraging people with disabilities to take up leadership roles and become part of the decision-making process. While Sightsavers is no longer involved in the programme, I have a strong conviction that the ambassadors have served as a model of practice for others to emulate.”
We launched a podcast to showcase our work in India
Rishibha Gupta
Senior brands and communication manager
“Our new podcast, titled ‘Eye care! Do you?’, is presented by former Sightsavers India staff member Arya Vatsa. It highlights key areas of our work in India to showcase it to a wider audience.
“The first episode focuses on Sightsavers’ Netra Vasant programme, which provides eye health in rural areas. India has the largest population of blind people anywhere in the world – that’s more than 8 million people. And most of them live in the poorest parts of the country, with little or no access to even basic health care facilities.
“In the episode, Arya shares the stories of people from these remote communities, and explains how, with Sightsavers’ support, they’ve been able to receive treatment for their eye conditions.”
Around the world
Kenya’s Global Labor Program will improve the rights of thousands of people with disabilities
Simon Brown
Technical lead for economic empowerment
“This programme in Kenya, part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, aims to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities, particularly women, and improve labour rights. It’s funded by USAID, and will work with East African Breweries Limited (EABL), owned by Diageo, and Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Kenya) to ensure inclusion is a key part of their supply and distribution chains.
“I’m thrilled that we have secured more than US$6 million to try to change the way big businesses work on disability inclusion. It’s a very bold programme: what we learn will not only benefit people who are frequently marginalised, but everyone working in supply and distribution chains. And hopefully all big businesses will be paying attention and replicating the approach.”
About the Global Labor Program
Mali has reached the final stage in our fight to end river blindness
Elie Kamate
Former country director in Mali
“I started my work on the Mali river blindness project in 1991, in the Kati district. The first village I visited was Fougadoudou in 1993: what I saw was a disaster. There were only about 100 people living there and most were children, women and older people. The young people and men had abandoned the village because of river blindness; they were so scared to contract the disease and become blind.
“The last time I visited Fougadoudou, I was really happy to see everything happening in the village. There are now factories and young people working there. This village, which was once abandoned because of the threat of river blindness, is now reoccupied thanks to successes in the fight against the disease.”
About Mali’s plan to eliminate river blindness
Our Captain Clean board game teaches children in Ethiopia about the importance of hygiene
Samuel Eshitemi Omukuba
Technical manager for WASH and NTDs
“We want to encourage children in Ethiopia to change their behaviour, as part of the country’s efforts to eliminate diseases such as trachoma.
“The aim of the game is not for children to move ahead or to complete the game, but to read the messages on the cards, with the aim that it’s going to translate into behaviour change. For example, a card could say: ‘You did not wash your hands after visiting the toilet. You must move back three steps.’”
In Liberia, we’re studying mosquitoes to learn how diseases are spread
Abakar Gankpala
Research coordinator
“If you live in a rural area in Liberia and you’ve been consistently bitten by mosquitoes that spread lymphatic filariasis, then you move to the city and are bitten by other mosquitoes, they will pick up the LF parasite from your blood and spread the disease to others.
“So we’ve trained people who can now identify a mosquito, its species, whether it’s fed or unfed, and then how to process the mosquitoes and test them for the disease. The mosquitoes are brought in alive, but the first thing we do is put them to sleep: we don’t want them to escape. Then the researchers categorise them.
“This research is special: it’s going to build capacity for Liberian entomologists and lab technicians.”
Our disability inclusion ambassadors in Ghana are reducing discrimination
Joseph Mensah
Technical adviser for civil society organisation grants
“As part of the Ghana Participation Programme (known as Ghana Somubi Dwumadie), we recruited a group of inclusion ambassadors to tackle negative attitudes against people with disabilities and mental health conditions. They come from different backgrounds, such as teachers, assembly members and religious leaders, and include people with and without disabilities.
“They have helped to inform, educate and influence people in their communities, as well as encouraging people with disabilities to take up leadership roles and become part of the decision-making process. While Sightsavers is no longer involved in the programme, I have a strong conviction that the ambassadors have served as a model of practice for others to emulate.”
We launched a podcast to showcase our work in India
Rishibha Gupta
Senior brands and communication manager
“Our new podcast, titled ‘Eye care! Do you?’, is presented by former Sightsavers India staff member Arya Vatsa. It highlights key areas of our work in India to showcase it to a wider audience.
“The first episode focuses on Sightsavers’ Netra Vasant programme, which provides eye health in rural areas. India has the largest population of blind people anywhere in the world – that’s more than 8 million people. And most of them live in the poorest parts of the country, with little or no access to even basic health care facilities.
“In the episode, Arya shares the stories of people from these remote communities, and explains how, with Sightsavers’ support, they’ve been able to receive treatment for their eye conditions.”
Our organisation
Almost two thirds of our staff are non-UK employees
Jamie Counihan
HR operations manager
“In 2022, there were more than 810 people in Sightsavers’ global workforce. More than 60% of our staff are non-UK employees working in Africa and Asia.
“Our staff turnover remains low at 8%, which we attribute to the deep commitment of our teams, the flexibility we are able to show our staff in terms of work/life balance, and our investment in maintaining the link between the cost of living and pay.”
“We aim to consider the environment in all our programmes: we have a dedicated climate action team to ensure green solutions and adaptations are included wherever possible. In Sierra Leone, for example, we’ve helped to build environmentally friendly vision centres, which feature solar panels, passive cooling and ways to reduce the amount of waste and water. We aim to roll this out to other eye health programmes, such as in Tanzania.
“In our UK head office, we continued to implement our environmental management system (EMS) throughout 2022, and we aim to achieve certification of international standard IS014001 in 2023, to ensure our EMS is effective. We are committed to improving resource efficiency, managing waste effectively and applying robust environmental policies.”
We’re focusing on the environmental impact of our work
Anita Dumbrell
Decision support manager
We strengthened our commitment to equal pay for women
Carole Webb
Head of corporate services
“In December 2022, the difference in mean pay between male and female employees was just 3.17% in favour of men. This is lower than the national average, although the gap has fluctuated slightly since last year in favour of men. This was caused by a small number of staff either joining the organisation, changing roles or leaving.
“Women account for half of Sightsavers’ global workforce across all salary levels, including the 25% highest earners. As of December 22, 53% of our board were women and 47% were men, while 43% of our management team were women and 57% were men.
“Gender equality is extremely important to Sightsavers and we are committed to managing our global workforce in a fair and consistent way. We aim for equitable employment conditions across all diversity groups.”
“The Think Accessibility campaign aims to make Sightsavers a more disability inclusive workplace, from emails and meetings to presentations and digital content. Regular training sessions take place each month to provide tips and advice on topics such as print and design, alt text, writing, social media and IT.
“The campaign has reached more than a third of Sightsavers staff, with nine sessions taking place between July and December 2022. Membership of Sightsavers’ Disabled Employee Network, which supports staff with disabilities, has also grown by more than 30 per cent since the campaign launched.”
We launched our Think Accessibility campaign to help staff make their work inclusive
Kate Bennell
Disability and accessibility advisor
We continued to push for diversity in our organisation
Fatoumata Diouf,
Chair of the racial diversity group
“In early 2022, the racial diversity group developed a comprehensive action plan to improve diversity and inclusion, based on the results of the diversity survey we carried out in 2021. The action plan featured recommendations to Sightsavers' management team and board on four main themes:human resources, incident reporting, communication and policy framework.
“Specific actions were identified under each theme and progress monitored over the course of the year, and reported on periodically to the management team.”
Our organisation
Almost two thirds of our staff are non-UK employees
Jamie Counihan
HR operations manager
“In 2022, there were more than 810 people in Sightsavers’ global workforce. More than 60% of our staff are non-UK employees working in Africa and Asia.
“Our staff turnover remains low at 8%, which we attribute to the deep commitment of our teams, the flexibility we are able to show our staff in terms of work/life balance, and our investment in maintaining the link between the cost of living and pay.”
We’re focusing on the environmental impact of our work
Anita Dumbrell
Decision support manager
“We aim to consider the environment in all our programmes: we have a dedicated climate action team to ensure green solutions and adaptations are included wherever possible. In Sierra Leone, for example, we’ve helped to build environmentally friendly vision centres, which feature solar panels, passive cooling and ways to reduce the amount of waste and water. We aim to roll this out to other eye health programmes, such as in Tanzania.
“In our UK head office, we continued to implement our environmental management system (EMS) throughout 2022, and we aim to achieve certification of international standard IS014001 in 2023, to ensure our EMS is effective. We are committed to improving resource efficiency, managing waste effectively and applying robust environmental policies.”
We strengthened our commitment to equal pay for women
Carole Webb, head of corporate services
“In December 2022, the difference in mean pay between male and female employees was just 3.17% in favour of men. This is lower than the national average, although the gap has fluctuated slightly since last year in favour of men. This was caused by a small number of staff either joining the organisation, changing roles or leaving.
“Women account for half of Sightsavers’ global workforce across all salary levels, including the 25% highest earners. As of December 22, 53% of our board were women and 47% were men, while 43% of our management team were women and 57% were men.
“Gender equality is extremely important to Sightsavers and we are committed to managing our global workforce in a fair and consistent way. We aim for equitable employment conditions across all diversity groups.”
We launched our Think Accessibility campaign to help staff make their work inclusive
Kate Bennell
Disability and accessibility advisor
“The Think Accessibility campaign aims to make Sightsavers a more disability inclusive workplace, from emails and meetings to presentations and digital content. Regular training sessions take place each month to provide tips and advice on topics such as print and design, alt text, writing, social media and IT.
“The campaign has reached more than a third of Sightsavers staff, with nine sessions taking place between July and December 2022. Membership of Sightsavers’ Disabled Employee Network, which supports staff with disabilities, has also grown by more than 30 per cent since the campaign launched.”
Learn more about our commitment to be an inclusive employer
We continued to push for diversity in our organisation
Fatoumata Diouf
Chair of the racial diversity group
“In early 2022, the racial diversity group developed a comprehensive action plan to improve diversity and inclusion, based on the results of the diversity survey we carried out in 2021. The action plan featured recommendations to Sightsavers' management team and board on four main themes:human resources, incident reporting, communication and policy framework.
“Specific actions were identified under each theme and progress monitored over the course of the year, and reported on periodically to the management team.”
Recognition
Professor Chris Whitty, who has been a trustee on Sightsavers’ board since 2017, was knighted in the New Year Honours for his role in tackling COVID-19. Sir Chris is the chief medical officer for England and regularly briefed the nation in televised press conferences during the pandemic.
Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper said: “It is hard to think of anyone more deserving of this honour than Chris: he has been a fabulous source of both support and inspiration to all at Sightsavers.”
Read about Chris’s knighthood
Simon Bush, Sightsavers’ director of neglected tropical diseases, received a lifetime achievement award for his work to fight river blindness. Simon is the second person to receive the accolade, which was presented to him by the non-profit organisation United Front Against River Blindness (UFAR).
Simon was also named president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). He joined the board as a trustee in 2014 and began his new role at the RSTMH’s annual meeting in mid-October.
More on Simon’s awards
Sightsavers Ireland’s online workshop Put Us in the Picture won Not-for-Profit Website of the Year at Ireland’s National Digital Awards. The interactive workshop teaches schoolchildren about inclusive education and disability, helping them to learn what life is like in low-income countries.
During the COVID-19 school closures, Put Us in the Picture became a key aspect of Ireland’s schools programme, enabling children to continue learning at home. The website’s accessible design means it can be used by screen readers and those living in rural areas with slow internet speeds.
Read the news story
Two of Sightsavers’ short films won awards at the fifth Charity Film Awards, which commend the best films in the sector. Our campaign film ‘A message from students in Sierra Leone’, which won gold in its category, was created to support an open letter to global leaders ahead of the G7 summit held in 2021.
Meanwhile, our film celebrating trachoma elimination in The Gambia won a bronze award. The film shares the story of how in April 2021, after three decades of hard work, the World Health Organization confirmed that The Gambia had eliminated trachoma.
About the awards
Sightsavers’ inclusion project in Cameroon and Senegal triumphed at the Zero Project awards, which recognise innovative disability inclusion programmes around the world.
Funded by Irish Aid, our project empowers people with disabilities in local governance and leadership by increasing access and participation. When it began in 2017, there were very few people with disabilities in decision-making positions. Today, 204 people with disabilities are either in elected local positions, or have been eligible for election for the first time.
Read the story
Recognition
Professor Chris Whitty, who has been a trustee on Sightsavers’ board since 2017, was knighted in the New Year Honours for his role in tackling COVID-19. Sir Chris is the chief medical officer for England and regularly briefed the nation in televised press conferences during the pandemic.
Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper said: “It is hard to think of anyone more deserving of this honour than Chris: he has been a fabulous source of both support and inspiration to all at Sightsavers.”
Read about his knighthood
Simon Bush, Sightsavers’ director of neglected tropical diseases, received a lifetime achievement award for his work to fight river blindness. Simon is the second person to receive the accolade, which was presented to him by the non-profit organisation United Front Against River Blindness (UFAR).
Simon was also named president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). He joined the board as a trustee in 2014 and began his new role at the RSTMH’s annual meeting in mid-October.
More on Simon’s award
Sightsavers Ireland’s online workshop Put Us in the Picture won Not-for-Profit Website of the Year at Ireland’s National Digital Awards. The interactive workshop teaches schoolchildren about inclusive education and disability, helping them to learn what life is like in low-income countries.
During the COVID-19 school closures, Put Us in the Picture became a key aspect of Ireland’s schools programme, enabling children to continue learning at home. The website’s accessible design means it can be used by screen readers and those living in rural areas with slow internet speeds.
Read the news story
Two of Sightsavers’ short films won awards at the fifth Charity Film Awards, which commend the best films in the sector. Our campaign film ‘A message from students in Sierra Leone’, which won gold in its category, was created to support an open letter to global leaders ahead of the G7 summit held in 2021.
Meanwhile, our film celebrating trachoma elimination in The Gambia won a bronze award. The film shares the story of how in April 2021, after three decades of hard work, the World Health Organization confirmed that The Gambia had eliminated trachoma.
About the awards
Sightsavers’ inclusion project in Cameroon and Senegal triumphed at the Zero Project awards, which recognise innovative disability inclusion programmes around the world.
Funded by Irish Aid, our project empowers people with disabilities in local governance and leadership by increasing access and participation. When it began in 2017, there were very few people with disabilities in decision-making positions. Today, 204 people with disabilities are either in elected local positions, or have been eligible for election for the first time.
Read the story
Finances in focus
Sightsavers’ total income in 2022 rose by 32% to £313 million, compared with £237 million in 2021. This was due to an increased value of donated pharmaceutical gifts in kind to meet programme requirements.
Our total expenditure also rose to £311 million, from £214 million in 2022, mainly due to continuing growth in activities being carried out in our programme countries.
For more details about our finances, see our full annual report.
Global income
| Income | |
|---|---|
| £31.11 million | Charitable activities |
| £190.37 million | Gifts in kind |
| £91.22 million | Donations and legacies |
| £368,000 | Investments |
| £218,000 | Other trading |
| £58,000 | Other income |
Global expenditure
| Expenditure | |
|---|---|
| £189.86 million | Gifts in kind drug donations |
| £51.03 million | Neglected tropical diseases |
| £20.53 million | Eye health |
| £4.65 million | Policy and research |
| £17.47 million | Social inclusion |
| £5.81 million | Education |
| £22.29 million | Raising funds |
Thank you to all our supporters
We’re truly grateful to our donors, partners, staff, programme participants and everyone else who makes our life-changing work possible. Watch our video to see some of the amazing things you’re helping us to achieve.
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