Then & Now: Ethiopia
In our 30th anniversary year, join us as Cure Blindness Project reflects on our past while simultaneously looking towards our future. This monthly feature titled Then & Now will showcase how much we’ve accomplished, always with partners, in our mission to cure avoidable blindness.
THEN
When Himalayan Cataract Project started in 1995 in the shadows of the majestic Himalayas, work was limited to Nepal. Cure Blindness Project worked with in-country partners to make significant advances in curing cataract blindness and restoring sight to those previously without access to care.
With this well-tested model, Cure Blindness Project began to duplicate its work in other countries with the largest backlog of cataract blindness. In 2008, Cure Blindness Project expanded to Ethiopia where an estimated 1.6 million people are blind.
NOW
Since 2008, Cure Blindness Project has helped increase Ethiopia’s cataract surgical rate (CSR) by 127% and restored sight to more than 780,000 (and counting). To date, Cure Blindness Project has invested $12 million (and counting) in programs and infrastructure to work towards building self-sustaining eye health systems for Ethiopians.
In 2019, Cure Blindness Project opened a country office with 13 full-time staff members who work with dozens of implementing partners and a volunteer network of committed collaborators.
Later this year, a Specialty Eye Center will open in Bahir Dar, a location selected due to its proximity to the largest number of Ethiopians with the highest rate of blindness.
