Our charity work in Mozambique

We work with the government in Mozambique and countries across Africa to deliver vital charity work and make sure everyone has the chance to thrive.

Mozambique is a large, sparsely populated country in southern Africa. It is one of the least developed countries in the world.

The country’s health care system is underfunded and lacks essential resources: health services focus on treating infectious diseases such as malaria, cholera and HIV. This means eye health is not prioritised, putting millions of people at risk of avoidable blindness.

Five neglected tropical diseases are present in Mozambique. River blindness, which is usually found near fast-flowing water such as the country’s Zambezi river, is a significant cause of illness and disability in the country.

In 2012, Mozambique ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Yet people with disabilities still face barriers when accessing education, employment and health care. Ensuring eye care services are inclusive is key to addressing some of the inequalities that people with disabilities experience.

How we’re making a difference in Mozambique

2.7 million people in Mozambique are thought to have vision loss

25 million people need treatment for at least one disease

Nearly half the population lives in severe poverty

Sources: IAPB, ESPEN, Ophthalmic Epidemiology,

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The survey team for the Onchocerciasis Elimination Mapping project in Mozambique walk through the community.

What are the challenges in Mozambique, and how can these be addressed?

Eye care

Not everyone in Mozambique can get treatment for eye conditions when they need it.

When trying to access eye health services, many people face barriers including overcrowded hospitals, financial difficulty and a lack of awareness about treatments. Our charity work in the country is helping to ensure that everyone can access quality eye care.

Our eye care work in Mozambique

Free eye screening

Regular screening ensures people can be checked for eye conditions and diseases that can lead to sight loss, and can be referred for treatment where needed.
Eye conditions we treat

Cataract surgery

Vision loss caused by cataracts can be restored with straightforward surgery. We provide cataract operations, enabling people to return to education and work.
Learn about cataracts

Research

Monitoring and collecting data about the prevalence of blindness helps us learn which communities we need to reach, and where our support is needed most.
Our research in Mozambique

Infectious diseases

People in Mozambique are at a very high risk of infectious diseases.

Several neglected tropical diseases that can be treated with medication are endemic in Mozambique, putting millions of people at risk of avoidable blindness and disability. Sightsavers’ work in the country focuses on protecting people from river blindness, trachoma and lymphatic filariasis.

Distributing medication

Sightsavers gives out medication in Mozambique to protect communities from infectious diseases such as trachoma.
About our treatment campaigns

Training volunteers

We train local volunteers to check people for eye disease, give out medication and refer people for treatment where needed.
Who are community volunteers?

Collecting data

High-quality data can help us assess the spread of diseases, and tells us where we need to focus our work.
How Clécio and Silvia are helping to track river blindness

Mercia, wearing a black Sightsavers t-shirt, hugs patient Maria outside in a rural Mozambique village. They're both smiling.

“My favourite part of my work is seeing patients’ joy following sight-saving surgery when they have their bandages removed.”

Mercia (right) is the programme manager for eye care projects in Nampula, northeastern Mozambique

How you can help

Our charity work in Mozambique is helping to improve eye care services, but there’s still more we need to do.

With your support, we want to continue providing inclusive eye care services and protect people from infectious diseases, so everyone can learn, earn and thrive. To do this, we need your help.

Charity donations, legacies, corporate partnerships and gifts from charitable foundations are a vital source of funding for our programmes in Mozambique. We also welcome opportunities to work in partnership with governments, institutions and development organisations.

Contact us: If you have any questions about our work in Mozambique, would like more details about our programmes or wish to discuss ways to donate or support us, email [email protected]

Latest stories from Mozambique

Four patients wait while socially distancing for their trauchoma surgery while wearing PPE and face masks.

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Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been to restart our work quickly and safely. Sightsavers staff reveal our how eye care programmes have evolved in the past 18 months.

Trachoma patient Maria Fonte gives Mercia a hug after the bandages are removed from her eyes following sight-saving surgery.

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Mercia Cumaio, July 2021

A girl smiles as she has her eyes tested.

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May 2021

Jeniffer Atieno Opito tends to her crops.

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Patients at the community health centre wait to be examined.

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Following rigorous safety measures, we have been able to restart our work fighting disease and saving sight all over the world.

November 2020

Eufémia Amela smiles and holds a sign saying #EqualUN.

Blogs / Disability and inclusion /

Eufémia Amela is Mozambique’s nominee for the UN disability committee: she has a physical disability after being affected by polio as a child. Hear her story and learn why she’s fighting for equality.

Eufémia Amela, November 2020

Discover where Sightsavers works in Africa and Asia

Where we work

We protect sight, fight disease and make sure everyone can claim their rights.