Location: Somalia
Photographer: Somali Eye Care

I am working to build a strong, self‑sustaining eye care system in Somalia so that every person poor or rich can access the full range of services, from basic eye care to advanced treatment, ensuring that no one is needlessly blind when their sight can be restored.

During my MBBS studies in Somalia, I saw how preventable blindness was taking away people’s independence and limiting their future. In both rural areas and the capital, access to even the most basic eye care was almost non‑existent. People suffering from cataracts, corneal disease, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and other avoidable causes of blindness were left untreated simply because the services, trained professionals and equipment they needed were not available. At that time, Somalia had no institution to train ophthalmologists, meaning anyone wishing to specialise had to leave the country. Determined to change this reality, I trained abroad, completing my ophthalmology residency in Belarus, cataract surgery training in Bangladesh, and now a cornea fellowship at Aravind Eye Hospital in India. In 2019, I founded Somali Eye Care, a non‑profit eye care organization working to create a strong, self‑sustaining eye care system in Somalia. Built on the belief that sight is the right of every person poor or rich Our system combines a hospital, an institute and outreach programs. We aim to make the full spectrum of services accessible to all, extend eye care to every community, remove barriers and build a skilled eye care workforce.