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…
