River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
A message from our President Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra
I have been privileged to support the work of Sightsavers, preventing avoidable
blindness across the world, for over fifty years.
In 2011 alone Sightsavers, with its partners, provided more than 31 million treatments to
prevent or cure blindness in over 30 developing countries. This is an astounding
achievement.
The River Blindness Elimination Appeal, which I am delighted to launch today, will
further impact upon this excellent work by transforming the lives of an estimated seven
million people, on this disease alone.
With my best wishes for the success of this most worthy Appeal.
HRH Princess Alexandra KG GCVO President, Sightsavers
A message from Sightsavers’ US President, Adrian Poffley
For over 60 years Sightsavers has been at the forefront of the mission to eliminate river
blindness in Africa. Sightsavers’ founder Sir John Wilson, who was himself blind, first
noted the devastating effects of this disease whilst on a visit to Ghana in 1947, and
funded the very first trip to investigate the nature and scale of the disease just five years
later.
River blindness has continued to blight lives in countries across Africa. Hundreds of
thousands of people have already lost their sight – just one of the many ways in which
this terrible disease has devastated communities.
But change is within our grasp and, with your support, we believe it is possible to
eliminate the transmission of river blindness within the next ten years. It is an enormous
task – we need to reach 30 million people across Africa each year – but it is possible
and that gives us tremendous hope. For the last 25 years the pharmaceutical company
Merck & Co Inc. have donated Mectizan®, the most effective treatment for river
blindness, to these efforts. You can help us get it to more places, more quickly.
Please read on to find out about the disease, how the program will work and why it is so
important.
I hope you will feel inspired – as I have been – to commit to this Appeal. Your support
really will make a difference.
Adrian Poffley
President of the Board, Sightsavers International Inc.
Sightsavers International, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
River blindness – a neglected disease
What is river blindness?
River blindness (scientific name onchocerciasis) is a debilitating neglected tropical
disease, caused by a fly that breeds in fast-flowing rivers. It is a major cause of
blindness in West and Central Africa. Around 35 million people are currently infected
and roughly 300,000 are irreversibly blind as a result of the disease.
The disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of the black simulium fly. The
transmitted worm larvae develop into microfilariae (adult worms), which migrate through
the skin. When these worms die they cause a series of devastating effects: blindness
and low vision, intense itching and pigmentation of the skin.
What is its impact?
In endemic areas, children miss school so that they can look after relatives who have
become blind. Communities flee from the fertile river banks in search of new land,
leaving ‘ghost villages’ behind and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
How is it treated?
For the last 25 years Sightsavers has combatted river blindness with the drug
ivermectin, also known as Mectizan®. Mectizan® is an effective and safe treatment
which kills the parasite’s larvae in the human body, preventing blindness and
transmission of the disease to others. A single oral dose, taken annually for the 10-15
year lifespan of the adult worms, breaks the cycle of the disease. Mectizan® is donated
by the global pharmaceutical company Merck through the Mectizan® Donation Program
and is distributed to individuals in need by non-profits such as Sightsavers.
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River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
© Laura Crow/Sightsavers
Where are we now?
Today Sightsavers is the leading non-profit supporting river blindness programs in
Africa. We work in 14 countries to protect over 24 million people each year from the
disease.
One of our main challenges is ensuring Mectizan® reaches remote communities
affected by the disease. To meet this challenge, together with other partners, we
pioneered the ‘Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin’ approach. This relies on
mass drug administration and an extensive network of volunteer Community Drug
Distributors who take responsibility for the distribution of tablets and maintenance of
village records.
Each year the 107,207 distributors go door to door in their communities to ensure that
the benefits of taking Mectizan® are understood, to register those in need of treatment
and to distribute the drug.
River blindness – the shocking statistics

More than 300,000 people have already gone blind due to the disease.

Globally it is estimated that 120 million people are at risk from river blindness, and
35 million people are already infected.

99% of cases occur in Africa with over 30 endemic countries on the continent.
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River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
© Vincent Starr/Sightsavers
An end in sight… a global initiative to eliminate neglected tropical diseases
by 2020
With strong evidence that river blindness can be beaten, Sightsavers has developed its
own ten year plan to fast-track the elimination of the disease in our project areas. Our
strategy is part of a global co-ordinated action to eliminate neglected tropical diseases
(which include blinding onchocerciasis and trachoma) over the next decade.
Partners including pharmaceutical companies, non-profits, donor and endemic country
governments have pledged to work together and donate an average of 1.4bn treatments
a year over the next decade and speed up research into neglected tropical diseases by
sharing access to expertise and compounds for the development of new medicines.
Ridding Africa of river blindness forever
The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), our key partner in fighting
river blindness, estimates that in Sightsavers’ program countries elimination is very likely
in Mali, parts of Nigeria and Uganda before the end of 2012.
Moving forward, the World Health Organization also sets the goal for river blindness
elimination in a number of African countries by 2020.
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River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
“River blindness needlessly devastates the lives of individuals, families and whole
communities. It could – and should – be consigned to medical history which is why we
are investing in expanding our program activities over the next ten years”.
Simon Bush
Sightsavers’ Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases
In order to scale up the program Sightsavers will increase the number of annual
treatments given to 30 million and will train more health workers each year to distribute
the drugs. Across Africa, we will:

Develop more projects with the hardest hit communities.

Reinforce health education activities.

Carry out disease mapping and baseline surveys.

Support disease surveillance to ensure the elimination of transmission has been
achieved, maintained and certified.
Give the Gift of Sight...
Sightsavers is working to raise $1 million through the River Blindness Elimination
Appeal, to provide vital and sustained treatment to over seven million people in
Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea and Liberia during 2013-2014. To do this we need your
support. Now.
There are several ways in which you can partner with us:
Corporate Partnership
Support the Appeal with a corporate gift, engage employees and community partners
and raise your profile through the partnership. Opportunities include Program support,
Employee giving, Cause-related marketing and Gifts in kind.
Make a lasting Gift
Since Sightsavers was established in the 1950s the gifts of generous individuals have
helped us reach the people most in need – those living in poverty in some of the world’s
poorest countries. Last year around two-thirds of Sightsavers’ income came from private
gifts. However large or small your donation, it will make a difference.
Trusts and Foundations
Sightsavers works in partnership with trusts and foundations to achieve our shared
goals. We are able to develop multi-year or one-off partnerships of any size, tailored to
suit your needs.
Become an Advocate
Promote Sightsavers’ work through your networks and communities by adding your
voice to this growing campaign.
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River Blindness Elimination Appeal:
raising $1 million in 2013-2014
For further information or to discuss partnership opportunities, contact Nikki Skipper at
nskipper@sightsavers.org or on (800) 707-9746.
Our commitment to you:
The Sightsavers team is experienced in providing creative and tailored partnerships. Our
relationships are built on excellent account management and we enjoy long-term
relationships with many of our supporters. Our monitoring and reporting procedures are
highly respected and ensure that partners receive the best service and care. Together
we can consign river blindness to medical history.
About Sightsavers
Our Vision
Sightsavers’ vision is of a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes and where
visually impaired people participate equally in society.
Our Mission
We are an international organization working with partners in developing countries to
eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.
Ensuring excellence
Sightsavers is renowned for its excellence in service delivery. Our rigorous monitoring
systems and procedures are highly respected and valued by our beneficiaries, partners
and governments. These systems and procedures ensure that we deliver only the most
effective treatments to communities, and that all funds are spent in the most effective
way. Sightsavers International Inc. is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Website: www.sightsaversusa.org
Email: info@sightsaversusa.org
Phone: (800) 707-9746
Sightsavers International Inc. is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Front and back page picture: Cecilia washes her clothes without the fear of river
blindness, thanks to the work of Sightsavers and its partners. © Kate Holt/Sightsavers
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