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    How we work

    Research helps us achieve our vision of a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes and where people with disabilities participate equally in society.

    Putting research findings into practice

    Doing research and sharing findings, no matter how compelling they might be, is not enough to have a real impact on lives. Sightsavers’ research strategy aims to closely integrate research and programmes at every stage – from generating research questions through to ensuring findings are used to inform decisions.

    Other teams across the organisation play a significant role in the implementation of our research. Our country offices and thematic technical experts in eye health, neglected tropical diseases, education and social inclusion help to identify research questions and programme-specific knowledge gaps. Our policy and advocacy team lead on developing recommendations arising from new research, while a new team of global advisers dedicated to research uptake and learning work ensure that our research has an even greater impact.

    Contact us

    Interested in finding out more about our research?

    For contact details regarding specific research projects, please see the project pages.

    Our research learning cycle diagram

    Our research strategy governs everything we do

    Inform programmes

    Keep up to date with existing evidence and ensure its effective use in our programmes and advocacy.

    Generate evidence

    Conduct high quality research to generate new evidence that can address global knowledge gaps.

    Build partnerships

    Build organisational capacity and effective partnerships to generate, understand and use research evidence.

    Share findings

    Ensure effective dissemination of research findings within and outside the organisation.

    Our research strategy (PDF)

    Partnership and collaboration

    To increase our impact, all our research projects are conducted in partnership with academic institutions, government entities and ministries of health in the countries where we work. Our staff are an integral part of the research design and implementation, and are involved in all stages of the research process.

    We are seeking to expand our research partnerships, particularly in new research areas and in the countries where we work, and collaborate with other international non-governmental organisations.

    Key principles guiding our research

    Sightsavers’ research strategy is complemented by our research governance framework outlining the guiding principles and processes we apply to all our research. This covers study protocols and methods, the tools we use, internationally accepted principles and procedures, training, and safeguards around participation, independence and inclusion. Our research is also subject to wider organisational policies and standards as set out on our policies page.

    Researcher talking yo women and children

    Research uptake and learning

    Our global advisers help to ensure that our research has the greatest possible impact.

    Making research count

    Making research count
    Two women embrace in the foreground. One is an elderly woman, and the other is a young woman. The elderly woman kisses the younger woman on the cheek. The background is a building with a straw roof.

    Our impact

    Our research also helps us to measure the impact of our programmes and ensure they meet the needs of the people they are designed to serve. For instance, our eye health research shows how Sightsavers has helped to reduce levels of blindness in northern Mozambique.

    Our impact in Mozambique

    Organisations we’ve worked with

    London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine logo
    LSTM - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine logo
    University of Birmingham logo
    University of Exeter logo
    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation logo
    Cochrane Eyes and Vision logo
    Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office logo

    View our past and current research work

    View our projects
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