One billion people have a disability and more than 80% live in poverty. International Day of People with Disability is an important day to raise awareness of the barriers people with disabilities often face around the world. Today we celebrate…
In 1966 New Zealand physician Dr. Howard Harper entered the operating room in Noor Eye Hospital in Kabul to carry out the first cbm sponsored cataract surgery. This intervention marked the beginning of an unparalleled success story. Today, 50 years later,…
Tena Koutou Katoa, For more than twenty-three years I’ve been incredibly blessed to have worked in a wide variety of paid and voluntary capacities with people who society has…
Young Joel Hunt jumped at the chance to voice a couple of radio adverts for cbm New Zealand, formerly the Christian Blind Mission, that have played on Life FM, Rhema…
Every day we witness the great potential of women in our work. Despite the double disadvantage of poverty and disability they overcome barriers and become independent individuals earning their families’ living. In celebration of International…
The World Hearing Day (formerly known as International Ear Care Day) is celebrated annually on 3 March. The aim of this day is to raise awareness among the general…
On December 3 we observe International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD); an United Nations (UN) sanctioned day which is celebrated each year. The day aims to promote action and…
Sarita’s story is tragic. She lost her husband during the Nepal earthquake and their house was destroyed. Sarita herself was rescued but she received a spinal cord injury that limits…
Our event "Taste & See - The cuppa that keeps on giving" was a lovely occasion to meet with our wonderful supporters. It was an afternoon tea full of hope,…
Our Programmes Officer Karen Jack visited our cbm partner in India last week. In this fantastic project people with and without disabilities receive training in organic farming – that doesn’t only enable them to earn an income but it helps…
Our event "Taste & See - The cuppa that keeps on giving" was a lovely occasion to meet with our wonderful supporters. It was an afternoon tea full of hope,…
Twende Kazi is a song that was composed and produced by Robert Kamanzi, popularly known as RKay, and performed by a number of leading Kenyan musicians affected by or passionate…
International Youth Day is celebrated annually on 12 August, and this year the theme is ‘Youth Civic Engagement’. This day seeks to promote young people’s effective inclusive civic engagement at all levels. Active inclusion and input of the youth –…
cbm International welcomes the new post-2015 agenda which is disability inclusive and promises an equal, inclusive and sustainable society for all. Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The final outcome document of the post-2015 agenda was announced…
On International Day to End Obstetric Fistula (23 May 2015) we speak with Dr. Vindhya Pathirana, obstretic surgeon and head of the vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) department at our partner organisation, CCBRT in Tanzania. cbm: Please tell us a little bit…
Annie, a 9 year old girl from Wellington, has truly made a difference: She saved 464 people from going blind due to river blindness! You are probably wondering how she did that? We recently received a cheque for $232 and…
Here we highlight our partner organisation 'Mobility India' in Bangalore, India, that focuses on supporting people with disabilities through rehabilitation services and poverty alleviation. The cycle of poverty and disability in India Disability is both a cause and consequence of…
Fiona Morris, our Marketing Manager - Engagement, is excited to lead cbm New Zealand through the time of transition as our Acting CEO. She is looking forward to meeting you and sharing the stories of lives transformed. During this interim…
Neha is a 12 year old girl from India and is affected by glaucoma. This World Glaucoma Week 2015 she talks with us about her journey and how life never has been easy for her. Tough childhood I am the…
cbm celebrates World Glaucoma Week from 8-14 March 2015. The theme this year is 'Beat Invisible Glaucoma'. On this occasion, we speak with our colleague Dr. Heiko Philippin, an ophthalmologist working in Tanzania. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease…
Women with disabilities don’t have to be forgotten sisters. Together we can MAKE IT HAPPEN – as the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day states. Stephanie Ortoleva a highly recognised author and international human rights lawyer tells cbm why…
Disability is often created by social structures. We talked to Sonja Vasic, who is a medical doctor and has a disability herself about the barriers that women with disabilities still face. As a disability activist Sonia shares the for her…
Exposure to excessive noise - a life sentence? It doesn't need to be because it's avoidable. Join our defence team and see based on a hypothetical story how a preventable hearing loss affected Amanda's life. Exposure to excessive noise is…
On 3 December 2014 we were celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the efforts of people with disabilities, who challenge and overcome the barriers they face. What made this day even more special was the national role…
Have you ever looked past the ability of a person with a disability? Take a look at this 2-minute video clip which does not focus on a person’s disability but ability. Across the world there are many common attitudes and…
Mike Potter, our Marketing Manager Acquisition, acquired a paraplegia as result of a motor vehicle accident. Despite this tragic event Mike is faith-filled, perpetually optimistic and nothing is too hard. Today he tells us how technology impacted his recovery, what…
World Glaucoma Week 2014 runs from 9-15 March, the week aims to raise awareness of glaucoma worlwide. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide after cataracts, however unlike cataracts, glaucoma is irreversible. cbm ophtalmologist Dr Heiko Philippin…
What is it like to be deaf? Imagine being a child living in one of the world’s poorest countries and being excluded from communication and social interaction due to deafness. Visualize how your everyday life would look like and how…
This week cbm celebrates! On 3rd December 2014 it’s the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – a day that this year promotes “Sustainable Development: the Promise of Technology”. What is International Day of Persons with Disabilities? The International Day…
In today’s world, 90 percent of the 285 million people with visual impairment live in developing countries. Thereof 39 million are blind, and 246 million people have low vision. * WHO: www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/index.html Visual impairment was the foundation of cbm's work…
Group of women with disability: “If we stay here, we die of hunger. If we leave, we lose everything we lived for.” On the mountain side of Tacloban slightly elevated above the city, the cbm Rapid Assessment Team found a…
“Break barriers, open doors: for an inclusive society and development for all”! ...is this year’s theme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December. Today over one billion people live with some form of disability, 80% in…
cbm presented - a dining event to reignite the senses! Renowned chef Simon Gault's Euro Restaurant delighted the taste buds with four exquisite courses complemented by New Zealand fine wines. Attendees dined blindfolded or masked by cbm to heighten awareness…
Since the earthquake that hit Nepal on 25 April, cbm, with partner organisations, has reached more than 15,000 people in the worst-hit districts. To ensure that everyone can access relief with equal ease, including the most at-risk groups such as…
In the emergency response cbm International has reached thousands of people with disabilities and many people who sustained injuries as a result of the earthquakes that hit Nepal. July 25th marks the 3-month anniversary of the first big earthquake. To…
Purna Maya has celebral palsy and is dependent on her father Maila. When the earthquake struck Nepal Pruna was inside their mud house which collapsed on her. She was buried under debris but Maila managed to pull her out of…
Aarti was admitted in cbm partner 'Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children' (HRDC) when the earthquake occurred on April 25, 2015. Her grandmother Dalatya carried her and ran out of the medical ward into the open area. Since then…
Since the earthquake that hit Nepal on 25 April, cbm, with partner organisations, has reached more than 3000 people through outreach camps in some of the worst-hit and least-accessible districts. We are using the knowledge and resources of Nepalese Disabled…
A new powerful earthquake has struck Nepal with a magnitude of 7.4 on May 12, 2015, killing even more people and causing many more injuries. The epicentre of the quake was centred east of Kathmandu in a hilly area close…
Buried under the debris of her family’s mud house Indira sustained a spinal cord injury. Medical help was out of reach. Indira had to go through immense pain until she was transferred to a hospital four days later. The earthquake…
Ashok, our RCS Field Coordinator joins the "Disability Relief Camps" to Sindhupalchowk - a district that has one of the highest number of casualties. In his blog article he shares with us how horrified he was himself when the earthquake…
When the earthquake shook Nepal and everyone ran outside their homes for shelter and safety, Rajendra was left behind. He has polio which is a disease that affects both his legs to an extent that he cannot stand or walk.…
Questions and answers on the Nepal earthquake, including the importance of ensuring a disability inclusive response. What happened?On 25th April 2015 at 11:41 local time a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, with the epicentre 81km northwest of Kathmandu. There were…
A massive earthquake struck Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on Saturday morning, 25 May 2015. Thousands feared dead and injured. A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.8 has shaken the Himalayas Nepal and adjacent regions in India on Saturday morning. The epicenter was…
Imagine navigating damaged roads and buildings if you are unable to see, hear or walk. Cyclone Pam has had a huge impact on human infrastructure, lives and livelihoods, particularly for people with disabilities living in Vanuatu. cbm is prioritising the…
Typhoon Hagiput – locally known as Ruby – made landfall in the Philippines on the 6 December. cbm is monitoring the situation. Typhoon Hagupit (locally named Ruby) made landfall on the Eastern Samar coast, near the town of Dolores (link…
Mardy Halcon from our cbm South East Asia & Pacific Regional Office is amazed by the achievement of cbm’s emergency response in terms of rebuilding “better”. In the following blog article “A day in an awesome place with wonderful kids”…
As part of our emergency response to Typhoon Haiyan cbm is rebuilding a dormitory and seven classrooms for deaf students that were damaged by the storm. People with disabilities are actively involved to rebuild "better". As part of its response…
The resource centre of Carles School in Iloilo which was completely destroyed by typhoon Haiyan has been rebuilt. Gordon shot the before and after and highlights the impact this has on children with visual impairments. Sitting here in the air…
Almost three months ago Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines on 8 November 2013 - one of the strongest typhoons ever to hit land. It left nothing but devastation, hopelessness and innumerable sad fates: 14.5 million people affected4.1 million people…
David Lewis is currently seconded from cbm Australia to cbm’s emergency response in the Philippines. He is sharing with us how people with disabilities he met in the typhoon area, taught him a great deal about human courage. I woke…
cbm has almost completed the first phase of its three-phase relief and recovery programme. Now cbm is now working on the next phase of recovery and focuses on “building back better” and ensuring reconstruction efforts are inclusive. From 20 November…
Receiving food and survival supplies makes a huge difference to people like Cerilo and his family although it is immediate aid only. It brings back joyful smiles and Cerilo’s family draws hope. After all what Cerilo went through, being blind…
cbm’s Emergency Response Team has been distributing food and survival supplies baskets in the center of Concepcion, Paney Island, in the last few days. These first distributions reached 2,659 vulnerable households including nearly 900 families of persons with disabilities. Other…
cbm is supporting its partner to provide what is most urgently needed for survival. We have already been buying, and are now preparing the most important items. The project is targeting thousands of vulnerable families, approximately 18,000 people. The families…
When our Emergency Response team was assessing Concepcion, a small community in Iloilo province extremely affected by the typhoon on the Philippines they met Cerilo. He is blind and was hiding under a table until the storm was over. Cerilo…
Chelsea, a member of cbm’s Emergency Response team, was one of the first to arrive in the devastated areas. Her first report from the field is one of many examples of how people with disabilities have been affected by typhoon…
cbm Emergency Response: fast – inclusive – sustainable Disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hunger crisis or typhoon’s like Haiyan have a huge impact on human infrastructure, lives and livelihoods. To help the most vulnerable people – people with disabilities – …
cbm makes sure that people with disabilities are not left behind Super typhoon Haiyan – locally known as Yolanda – slammed the Philippines on Friday, November 8th, 2013. Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever to hit land, was rated…
Improving the quality of life for people with a disability who live in poverty requires more than medical treatment. Read how life for Laxmi’s family in Nepal has been transformed through an early Christmas present they could never afford, water…
Sajana walks to school every day. While this is nothing extraordinary for many children in Nepal it means a dream came true for Sajana, the girl who was shuffling on her knees for over six years. Perhaps, one of the…
Ashok can’t believe his eyes seeing Laxmi playing and running around with great joy when he visited her last. Her new leg has transformed her life completely. She couldn’t wait to show Ashok everything she is now able to do.…
Helen Green our Board Chair went to India a few weeks ago to visit one of our projects funded by the NZ government. It’s an organic farming project inclusive for people with disabilities. Helen shares with us how these people…
Ugandan journalists report about our partner CoRSU - an opportunity to raise awareness among families that have long lost hope. “We didn’t know that we would find help so close to where we live,” Mama Benita said, when we asked…
‘What difference can 'one day' make in the life of a person?’ is the question Ashok, our field co-ordinator in Nepal asked himself. It didn’t take him long to find an answer. While walking through HDRC’s corridors he witnessed how…
Vincent from Uganda is one of our representative Sponsor Children. His story – growing up with no parents and being blind – has inspired many Kiwi’s to become a cbm Child Sponsor. Tobias Pflanz, cbm's Fundraising Field Co-ordinator, visits Vincent…
Today it’s Tobias Pflanz, cbm's Fundraising Field Co-ordinator, who is sharing with us how New Zealanders make a difference. He is based in Uganda's capital Kampala and responsible for cbm's Representative Child Sponsorship Programme there. They are very sturdy, but…
In June 2015 the cbm NZ team is pleased to welcome their new CEO Stephen Hunt . “Simply making a difference” drove him to become a part of the cbm family. To all our wonderful cbm supporters I am humbled…
Words can be encouraging and strengthen others’ confidence in themselves. But words can also hurt and depress others’ self-esteem. What is the best way to figure out what the right…
Opportunity and responsibility are the heart of Human Rights. Human Rights are not supposed to remain in the government’s hands. It is on all of us to create an inclusive…
