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Help End River Blindness!

signatures:
deadline: July 13, 2010
signature goal: 8,000

Target: Sightsavers International Volunteers
Sponsored by: Sightsavers International

Approximately 140 million people in Africa are at risk from river blindness, a disease caused by the bite of a black fly that breeds in fast flowing rivers. The worms spread throughout the body, including the eyes, causing intense itching and inflammation when the worms die. It often blinds its victims and causes skin disease.

In some villages, most of the adults have gone blind and the children are kept home from school to act as their guides and caretakers. This devastating disease has forced families to move away from fertile lands and fresh water for fear of going blind.

But one tablet can prevent river blindness and Merck & Co has promised to provide this tablet for as long as it takes to get rid of this disease for free. For the tablet to be effective, it must be taken once a year for 20 years.

Sight Savers International is working to distribute these free tablets to as many people as possible. Help get these tablets into the hands of those who need it most by signing the pledge and sending a message of support to the volunteers on the ground.

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