A Story from Ethiopia: Protecting Sight, Changing Lives

With access to simple antibiotics and essential care, trachoma can be treated—and even eliminated—for good. At Orbis, we’re working to empower mothers and protect futures by bringing sight-saving treatment, clean water access, and health education to rural communities in Ethiopia.

Seble, a mother of three - Wondimu (aged 5), Zenash (aged 4), and Rabiet (aged 2)- from a small village near Durame town, faces similar challenges. Her husband, Abraham, works as a farmer, but the family’s food supply barely covers their needs, let alone the cost of medical care.

When Seble noticed her children’s eyes streaming, itching, and becoming painful, she knew something was wrong.

“I saw the discharge, and they stopped playing outside because the light hurt their eyes,” Seble recalls. "I’m so afraid my children will go blind one day. I have seen older members of our community who are blind, and I don't want my children to face the same fate."

Without money for soap or a clinic visit, Seble feared the worst. However, an Orbis trained health worker named Aster visited the village, providing much-needed screening and treatment for active trachoma. She diagnosed the family with active trachoma infections and provided them with free antibiotics.

“We are relieved to have the antibiotics,” Seble says. “I will continue to teach my children about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. I am so thankful for the chance to protect their eyesight.”