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.
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.
The immediate goal of research at Sightsavers is to generate evidence that our programme teams can use to improve lives around the world.
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.
Sightsavers and its partners are holding a special event on 28 January, to share what we've learned about producing data that includes everyone.
Neglected tropical disease programmes need to focus on people, not just count disease prevalence, say Sightsavers researchers.
A selection of Sightsavers river blindness photographs featured as part of the Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD) conference.
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?
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.
Kareen Atekem reflects on the challenges and opportunities in reaching Cameroon’s nomadic populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.