Child Blindness

Photo credits: 1) Helen Keller International, Nigeria; 2) Fred Hollows Foundation, Vietnam; 3) International Eye Foundation, Malawi

Child Blindness Program

Approximately 1.4 million children worldwide are blind. In addition, nearly 17 million children with low vision or impaired sight lack visual aids, services or eyeglasses to help them function. As a component of A2Z: The USAID Micronutrient and Child Blindness Project, the A2Z Child Blindness Program uses competitive grants to reduce child blindness and improve eye health. Grants provide support to national and international eye care and health NGOs that deliver services to populations in need. The goals and priorities of the program are to:

  • Expand delivery of high-impact direct services (including screening, treatment, education and rehabilitation);
  • Scale-up innovative approaches to service provision and program implementation; and,
  • Contribute to the global knowledge base on effective approaches to large-scale child eye health programs.

As of February 2010, the A2Z Child Blindness Program has awarded 37 grants to 24 local and international organizations to support work in 27 countries across Latin America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. The program provides three types of grant awards:

  1. Organizational Development:  1 year grant from $25,000 - $50,000 to support specific training activity or procurement of essential medical equipment to support development of eyecare NGOs
  2. Service Delivery:  2 year grant from $200,000 - $500,000 to support comprehensive eye care service delivery projects
  3. Refugee Service Delivery:  2 year grant, $200,000, to support comprehensive eye care service delivery projects in refugee populations

Grant-funded interventions include eye health education, vision screening, clinical and surgical services, training of health workers and community members, provision of necessary medical treatments including eyeglasses, and education and rehabilitation of blind children.

 

USAID/A2Z Child Blindness Program Results

From June 2006 through March 31, 2010, Child Blindness Program Service Delivery grantees…

  • Screened nearly 2.3 million children for eye care conditions
  • Referred over 93,000 children for additional services
  • Provided children with more than 35,000 eyeglasses
  • Performed more than 4,000 cataract surgeries and nearly 2,500 other surgical procedures
  • Provided nearly 49,000 medical treatments (non-surgical) to children

 

Overview

A Closer Look:

 

For additional information regarding the A2Z Child Blindness Program, please email: childblindness@aed.org