1992

From the very beginning, Magrabi Foundation extended as part of the renowned Magrabi Medical Group. By utilizing its rich heritage of knowledge and skills, the Foundation grew to become one of the very first nonprofits to work in the field of the prevention of blindness in the region. With Dr. Akef El Maghraby in the lead, the Foundation’s journey launched with the goal to tackle the issue of blindness in a non-discriminatory approach.

1998

The Foundation expanded its approach by taking part in community ophthalmology research. A flagship project was the launch of a population-based study, to assess the burden of trachoma and blindness. This led to highlighting trachoma as a public health problem for the first time in Egypt in an official statement published by the Egyptian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

2000

Outreach caravans started spreading out across underprivileged areas in Egypt, to deliver eye health services, thus, becoming core to the Foundation’s Outreach Program.

2001

A sustainable partnership with the International Eye Foundation emerged, to develop sustainable models for eye care as well as build capacity for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Ophthalmology hospitals.

2002

The Foundation became the sole facilitator for the official endorsement of the international Vision 2020 declaration in Egypt, reflecting the government’s political commitment to alleviating avoidable blindness burden. The event was attended by the Egyptian first lady, Egyptian Minister of Health, governorates representatives, as well as delegates from the WHO and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness.

2003

Established in affiliation with the Magrabi Foundation, Ebsar Unit (meaning vision in Arabic) became the first specialized utility in the training and rehabilitation of visually impaired persons in Egypt. The Unit launched as a center for training, improving access to information for those with visual disability, and thus, increasing their chances to enter the labor market. Ebsar Unit also became one of the first in the country to provide computer training for those with a visual disability, to support their education and improve their employment opportunities. It also founded the traditional library of Braille-edited contents and afforded the in-house Braille printing services, aiming to enhance the lives of those suffering from a visual disability.

2004

Training and Capacity building pilot programs were initiated in primary healthcare units across Egypt, in collaboration with The American University in Cairo. The goal was to integrate primary eye care in the packages delivered by primary healthcare at rural areas.

2008

The first ever Satellite Clinic was established in the outskirts of Greater Cairo, providing maintained eye care services to the underprivileged community. Also, the first surgical training program was initiated to address the capacity gap in cataract surgery performances by eye care teams from Egypt and the Region

2008

The Foundation was awarded the AGFUND International Prize for Pioneering Development Projects out of 25 other applicants, acknowledging the Foundation’s efforts in the prevention of visual impairment and rehabilitation of people with non-avoidable visual impairment.

2011

The Foundation initiated a strategic partnership with CBM International’s eastern Mediterranean office, by establishing the Egypt Institute for Community Ophthalmology (EICO). EICO became the first training institute dedicated to Community Ophthalmology in Egypt and the Middle East. It is part of an international network of community ophthalmology centers in India, Pakistan, Tanzania, Guatemala and Nepal. The institute aims to increase the number of qualified eye health personnel: ophthalmologists, general practitioners, public health staff, and NG0 staff involved in eye care programs.

2016

The Foundation has undergone a strategic review of its Vision, Mission and approach - a first step towards transitioning the Foundation into a public health oriented social enterprise in the area of eye health. This is in line with the international agenda for the WHO and other key stakeholders that promote the concept of Universal Eye Health.

OurVision

A world where there is universal access to comprehensive eye health.

OurMission

To establish a replicable public health-oriented model for equitable sustainable comprehensive eye health care.

We aim at achieving our mission through the following components:

● Generation and dissemination of knowledge, that leads to evidence-based interventions;
● Empowering community members with their rights to eye health;
● Providing high volume, high quality, and affordable eye health services across different social strata;
● Rehabilitation and integration of all persons with unavoidable vision loss;
● Building capacity of eye health personnel across different cadres;
● Contributing to shaping policies through networking and partnerships with relevant
stakeholders

About the Founder

Find out more

Dr. El-Maghraby is the founder and Chairman of the Magrabi Eye Hospitals and Centers (34 total) in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each year, this network of eye hospitals provides quality eye care to over a million patients and performs over 120,000 sight-preserving surgeries. He has also founded five non-profit eye hospitals and centers in Bangladesh, North Yemen, Sudan, North Lebanon, Egypt, and Cameroon. Treatment and surgery are available for poor patients in all these hospitals free and minimal charge.

Learn more

The Team

I want to be a billionaire; someone who positively affects the lives of a billion people. Joining the foundation is a step on this road.

Mohammad Shalaby

Executive Director

Developing the vision of Magrabi Foundation from a charity scope to a development scope articulated upon providing eye health for all, by establishing a model for sustainable, comprehensive eye health.

Gamal Ezz Elarab

Medical Director

REDUCING VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND ELEVATING THE QUALITY OF EYE CARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA IS MY DREAM.

Nermine El-Bahtimy

Follow up and Coordination Manager

I work towards a sustainable financial model that keeps the foundation secured while expanding its activities to help more visually impaired people.

Hussien El Ozairy

Financial Manager

I believe in Magrabi foundation’s main objective, to offer equitable eye healthcare solutions, regardless of race, age, gender, ethnicity, income, location.

Omar Safa

Projects and Healthcare Operations Manager

I am proud of making people in the less privileged areas trust our name, interact with us and expect more services from us.

Amr Salem

Marketing Communications Manager

12 years ago, I joined the outreach program of Magrabi foundation. Since then, I have been involved in 1170 outreach visits to the underprivileged areas all around Egypt.

Adel Fawzi

Assistant Manager for Healthcare Operations – Field Work

ONE’S WORK IS DEFINED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE HE IMPACTS. THAT’S WHY I’M PROUD OF BEING A PART OF MAGRABI FOUNDATION, SEEKING TO IMPROVE EYE HEALTH OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

Samir Mokhtar

Accounting Manager

Gaining knowledge and making use of it, to directly impact people’s lives for the good of our community.

Mohammed Elhedairy

Assistant Manager for Healthcare Operations – Satellite Clinics

I strive for helping more people with visual impairments in getting equal opportunities in the labor market.

Sameh Ali

Call Center Operator

join the team

Get Involved

collaborate with us to empower people with visual impairment