Cure Cataracts
Give the Gift of Sight in Rural Mali Through Our Mobile Eye Clinic
Cataracts in Mali
Blindness remains a serious public health challenge in Mali. Cataracts alone account for nearly 48% of blindness cases, making it the leading cause of vision loss.
Most people affected live in rural villages, where poverty, limited health facilities, and a shortage of eye specialists make treatment almost impossible.
Each Year In Mali
80,000 cataract surgeries are needed
Fewer than 10,000 are performed
This means tens of thousands of people continue living in unnecessary blindness, even though their vision could be restored with a short medical procedure.
For just $120,
a 15-minute surgery can bring sight back to someone in rural Mali.
Our Impact
42,500+
cataract surgeries performed
96%
of patients regained vision
98%
satisfaction rate among patients
Mobile Clinic
in rural Mali
The program focuses on:
Awareness & Outreach
Communities are educated about cataracts and informed that treatment is safe, effective, and accessible.
Screening
Patients are carefully examined to identify those in need of cataract surgery and ensure they are prepared for the procedure.
Surgery
A quick, low-risk operation is performed to remove the cataract and restore clear vision to the patient.
Post-Surgery Care
Follow-up care and checkups are provided to ensure proper healing and long-term vision improvement.
Restoring Vision Through Mobile Eye Care
As part of its mission to eliminate preventable blindness, Embrace Relief is providing free cataract screening and surgeries to underserved communities across rural Mali.
Through its mobile eye clinic, the program travels directly to villages where medical care is rarely available.
Your Gift Restores Sight
Every contribution directly supports life-changing cataract surgeries for patients in rural Mali. Each sponsored surgery allows a patient to see their family again, return to daily life, and regain independence.
2025 Cataract Impact
Successful Cataract Surgeries Performed
From Darkness to Hope: Dedem’s Journey
Dedem spent years living in darkness after cataracts slowly took away his vision. Everyday tasks became difficult, and he depended on others for even the simplest activities. Like many elderly people in rural communities across Mali, access to eye care was simply out of reach.
His story is one of thousands that show how a simple 15-minute surgery can restore sight and bring hope back into someone’s life.
Watch Dedem’s journey from darkness to hope.
From Darkness to Light: Massarna’s Journey to Sight
At 43, Massarna was living with cataracts in both eyes, struggling to see and carry out daily life. Thanks to the free surgery provided by Embrace Relief, her sight was restored. Today, she can see clearly again, regaining her independence and hope.
Watch Massarna’s journey from darkness to light.
Give The Gift of sight
With just $120, you can sponsor a cataract surgery in Mali, restoring sight to someone in need. Your gift provides dignity, independence, and the chance to live life to the fullest once again.
Have Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions About Cataracts
The main types are:
- Phacoemulsification (common in developed regions)
- Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS), cost-effective and widely used in low-resource areas
- Extracapsular and intracapsular techniques (less common).
You can:
- Donate to cover the full cost of a surgery (USD 120)
- Sponsor medical equipment or clinic outreach
- Volunteer (e.g., trained ophthalmologists)
- Spread awareness and support ongoing programs.
Cure Cataracts and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Embrace Relief’s Cure Cataracts program is designed in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are a blueprint for achieving a peaceful, prosperous, equitable and sustainable future for all of humanity, and together the 17 goals serve as targets for worldwide cooperation to meet and overcome the greatest challenges we face. All of Embrace Relief’s programs contribute to the realization of at least two SDGs.
Since 2013, Embrace Relief has provided more than 40,000 cataract surgeries and 550,000 comprehensive health screenings worldwide through our operation of medical centers, mobile health clinics and medical camps, and in conjunction with our global network of partner organizations.
Many children have received cataract surgeries thanks to Embrace Relief, giving them the opportunity to learn at the same pace as their peers in school.
Adults who have their eyesight restored have more opportunities to pursue productive careers with fewer physical restrictions.
