Qatar Charity joins partnership for children's eye care in Africa

The Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development in partnership with Qatar Charity and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa have launched a new 5-year initiative, Eyecare for Empowering Children in Africa (EYECA).The launch event was held under the patronage of Pierre Dimba, minister of health, public hygiene, and universal health coverage in Cote d’Ivoire. EYECA aims to treat eye diseases for children in schools across 13 countries in Africa, improving their quality of life and expanding their educational opportunities.EYECA is a programme benefiting 13 countries, namely: Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Somalia, and Togo. The programme aims to screen 10mn children in primary and secondary schools and provide corrective eyeglasses, medical treatment, or surgeries when needed. Its ultimate objective is to reduce uncorrected refractive errors by 25% by 2029, while building the capacity of local health systems to provide sustainable and integrated eye care services.Hamad Salem al-Jaber, director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Qatar Charity highlighted: "The people of Qatar have always believed in the power of extending a helping hand to our brothers and sisters across the world; it's deeply rooted in our values and culture to support those in need. When we see that children are struggling with vision problems that affect their education and future potential, we know we must act. This isn't just about providing eyeglasses; it's about transforming lives and contributing to meaningful development that makes a real difference in communities across Africa.”