Sightsavers
Preventing avoidable blindness and treating neglected tropical diseases in low-income countries
Our editorial assessment
Sightsavers delivers two of the most cost-effective health interventions in existence: cataract surgery (as little as $25–50 to restore full sight to an adult) and mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases. Their NTD programmes, which distribute deworming and trachoma treatments at scale, have been evaluated positively by GiveWell. What distinguishes Sightsavers from many health charities is their dual focus: they combine direct medical intervention with disability rights advocacy, pushing for systemic inclusion of people with disabilities in education and employment. With 91% of spending going to programmes and full audited accounts publicly available, Sightsavers represents strong value for impact-focused donors.
The problem they're solving
Over 1 billion people worldwide suffer from neglected tropical diseases, and 43 million are blind — the majority from preventable or treatable conditions. Cataract surgery is one of the most transformative medical interventions available: a 15-minute procedure can restore years of productive life.
About Sightsavers
Sightsavers works across Africa and Asia to eliminate avoidable blindness through cataract surgeries and mass drug administration.
Where your dollar goes
How this score was produced
The GiveWise score is our own editorial assessment, produced with a weighted rubric covering program spending, transparency and governance, evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and leadership. It draws on publicly available reports from independent evaluators such as GiveWell, Charity Navigator, and CharityWatch, but it is not a rating issued or endorsed by any of those organisations. Read the full methodology →