Young Systems Leader: Tigist Tulu Gelashe

Tigist Tulu Gelashe serves as the Program Manager for Outreach and Quality at the Cure Blindness Project in Ethiopia, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing eye care services and addressing preventable blindness. Tigist graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Optometry from the University of Gondar in 2014 and later earned a Master’s Degree in Project Management from Lunar University in 2024. Her academic achievements have provided her with a solid foundation in strategic planning and program leadership.

Tigist began her career in public health shortly after completing her undergraduate studies. She worked at the University of Debre Tabor for eight months before transferring to Wachamo University Nigist Eleni Memorial Hospital in 2016. At Nigist Eleni Hospital, she strengthened the secondary eye care facility, serving as both a clinical optometrist and head of the department. During her tenure, she introduced advanced clinical care improvements, such as biometry, and contributed to patient outcomes. Tigist also taught primary eye care and refraction to medical and health professional students, while spearheading a school screening program in the Hadiya Zone. This initiative trained teachers and community health workers to identify vision issues and provided eyeglasses to students in need.

Her public health experience includes collaboration with five national and international organizations to address backlogs of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and cataracts, particularly in Ethiopia’s Amhara and Southern regions. In these efforts, Tigist served as both a supportive team member and lead optometrist, showcasing her expertise in community-based eye care initiatives.

In August 2018, Tigist joined the Cure Blindness Project as a Senior Optometrist and was later promoted to her current role as Program Manager. She has overseen cataract surgical programs with more than 25 local partners, including governmental agencies, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and private facilities. Her responsibilities include coordinating surgical outreach interventions to clear backlogs of cataracts, TT, and other eye diseases. She ensures pre-outreach preparations and trains optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, and allied professionals in biometry and clinical care to improve quality.

Tigist’s leadership extends to mentorship and capacity-building efforts at secondary and tertiary care facilities. She has collaborated with other NGOs to implement school screening programs and has been instrumental in developing comprehensive quality improvement initiatives for cataract outreach. Her emphasis on high-quality surgical outcomes has significantly improved patient care and strengthened networks among partners to address operational challenges effectively.

Her work aligns with the mission of eliminating preventable blindness and promoting sustainable eye care solutions. By fostering partnerships and sharing best practices, Tigist continues to scale impactful programs that enhance eye health services. Her dedication has positively influenced countless lives across Ethiopia, particularly in underserved communities, as she leads efforts to ensure access to affordable and high-quality eye care.