Research centre
Welcome to Sightsavers' research website, where you can find information on our latest projects and publications and learn how research is helping to change lives around the world.
Research at Sightsavers
Our research focuses on eye health, neglected tropical diseases, education and social inclusion. We use the evidence we generate to inform Sightsavers’ programmes in the countries where we work.
Research projects
We run research projects worldwide, working with partners to generate evidence with impact.
Our research projects
Published research
We contribute to the global knowledge base by publishing our research results in peer-reviewed journals and reports.
Publications and resources
Evidence gap maps
Our evidence gap maps are a visual tool to present available evidence and highlight gaps for future research.
Evidence gap maps
Our in-house research makes us different
Sightsavers holds Independent Research Organisation (IRO) status. We are one of the only international non-governmental organisations to hold this status in the UK. As an IRO, we are eligible for grants from the seven UK research councils, including the Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Our research team is made up of more than 30 people based around the world, with skills ranging from epidemiology and economics to geographic information system mapping and community-based participatory research. Our research activities also extend beyond the team, involving many more people across the organisation as well as our partners.
Research that changes lives
The immediate goal of research at Sightsavers is to generate evidence that our programme teams can use to improve lives around the world.
Bringing research findings to life
We use community-based participatory research approaches which can help break down social injustice and power structures. In our NTD research, we’ve trained frontline health care workers and people living with NTDs to be ‘co researchers’ and we use local artwork to help bring findings to life for the benefit of people with NTDs, researchers and programme planners.
Find out more about how we’re using participatory research to help change the lives of people affected by NTDs.
Research news and blogs
Photos from Sightsavers river blindness projects feature at prominent research event
A selection of Sightsavers river blindness photographs featured as part of the Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD) conference.
Finding nomadic communities: our research in action
How do you provide treatment for neglected tropical diseases like river blindness when you can’t find some of the people who are most at risk?
How participatory research can change the lives of people affected by NTDs
Martins Imhansoloeva, research coordinator, shares how participatory research is helping to capture the experiences of people with NTDs and can lead to better programme design.
Why innovation is urgently needed to reach nomadic communities during COVID-19
Kareen Atekem reflects on the challenges and opportunities in reaching Cameroon’s nomadic populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sightsavers contributes to Global Education Monitoring Report
A Sightsavers report on education for children with visual impairments in sub-Saharan Africa has been published as a background paper to the 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report.
Sightsavers research highlights inequalities behind access to eye care
Governments and healthcare organisations must look at income and gender as well as disability if they are to effectively support people with visual impairments.
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