Watch a video of Jane Edge travelling in remote Indonesia thanks to your support
Thank you for bringing joy to the world!
Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but you made this one extra special. Thank you so much everyone who gave a Meaningful Gift this year, and for the extraordinary joy you have brought to the world.
Because of people like you, more than 470 adults have received sight-saving Eye Surgery giving the Miracle gift of sight to people who would otherwise have remained blind.
In further egg-cellent news, 331 Chickens for 5 families were also given, providing families with a much-needed source of food and regular income, because of you.
In an act of real compassion 92 Fistula surgeries were also given, and 21 Fistula staff have been trained bringing tears of joy to mothers suffering the horror of this condition. What a wonderful, life-changing gift!
That’s not all. Donors gave 207 crutches, so that people can hop, skip, and dance their way to recovery and beyond. Thank you so much for this gift of freedom!
These are just a few of the many Meaningful Gifts given this past Christmas. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who chose to help change lives in this way. Your kindness has resulted in a world of joy for so many people.
From all of us at CBM: Thank you.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
An extraordinary gift from some truly extraordinary people
This Christmas, we reached out to help young Aanand, and others like him, to see again before it was too late.
Because of you, Aanand received the cataract surgery he desperately needed. But not only did you help Aanand see again, others were helped as well.
This has been made possible thanks to a small group of passionate CBM supporters who came together and created a Christmas Matching Gift Fund, pledging to DOUBLE every gift given to the appeal up to $135,221 – so that now DOUBLE the number of people can see and reach their full potential!
A massive thank you to everyone concerned. Your outpouring of generosity will radically change the lives of so many people, and their families.
When Aanand’s parents heard their 7-year-old son had difficulty seeing, they told us, ‘We were upset by the bottom of our heart.’
They had no money to pay for eye surgery, and every day that passed put Aanand at risk of going permanently blind.
Thankfully, your gift arrived in the nick of time.
Aanand was immediately booked in for eye surgery, and he started bouncing with joy. “I am very excited to see properly!” he said.
Aanand’s cataract surgery was a complete success. His surgeon Dr Sanjay told us,
“I am very happy and the whole department is very happy. The child’s vision has improved a lot. The child’s parents are also happy. We are all happy.”
Aanand can’t wait to go back to school, make the most of his education, and achieve his dream of becoming an eye doctor.
Thank you to everyone who helped restore Aanand’s sight, and the sight of thousands of others just like him. They will never forget your kindness, and neither will we.
Because of you, vital supplies are being distributed RIGHT NOW in Turkana, Kenya
Thank you to CBM’s newest supporters who responded with kindness to our urgent appeal for help. The people of Turkana in northern Kenya were in the midst of a devastating food crisis, many of whom were struggling to reach food distribution points.
But it is because of you that we have been able to help people access vital supplies to help the most vulnerable people, those households of people with disabilities, the elderly, women and children.
You might remember that the rains finally arrived in Kenya after years of prolonged drought. But in the worst way possible.
Because the ground was so dry, the rain quickly turned into a flood – leaving destruction in its wake.
Homes, farms, and livelihoods were destroyed, and it has been almost impossible for people to maintain access to food and clean water. Not only that, but disease is on the rise.
We let you know of this devastating situation, and asked if you could help. And since that moment, we have been overcome by your generosity.
Sometimes the words ‘thank you’ just don’t seem enough. You mean the world to us at CBM, and to every person you reach out to with your kindness.
Because of you, people with disabilities in Kenya now have access to food, water, medical supplies, and mobility aids like crutches and wheelchairs – where CBM teams on the ground can deliver these resources into the hands of those who need it most.
Thank you for making this possible, and for reaching out to support the people of Turkana during this desperate food crisis.
Sight-saving medicine is on its way to hard-to-reach communities… because of you
Take a moment. Breathe. And let the knowledge sink in that we have arrived, together, at a remarkable moment in history. After more than 3 decades of CBM’s hard work, River Blindness is on the brink of total eradication in areas where CBM operates, because of you.
Not long ago, we reached out and asked if you could help deliver sight-saving medicine to the last remaining hotspots of infection, and your kindness blew us away.
CBM donors collectively donated more than $7 million worth of sight-saving medicine to more than 1.2 million people still living with the very real threat of going blind from River Blindness.
This is the final push to eradicate River Blindness for good from the areas where CBM operates. Thank you so much for making this possible!
The good news is, your generosity in the past has already helped protect the sight of thousands (if not millions) of people.
And now, because of you, we were able to deliver even more sight-saving medicine to the last remote and hard-to-reach regions. You are wonderful!
Heartfelt connections made at CBM events
We love the opportunity to meet our CBM family in person! In November, CBM’s CEO Jane Edge met almost 300 of you at Thank You morning teas in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
“It was an uplifting, inspirational and informative morning…I loved hearing Jane speak about visiting a field project in Indonesia and getting to meet other CBM supporters.” John, Melbourne
If you missed out, you can watch a recording of the event at: cbm.org.au/events
Stay tuned for upcoming events for 2025!
IDPD Event – a world where no one is left behind
International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPD) is a time to celebrate the invaluable contributions of people with disabilities while reflecting on the barriers that hinder their full participation in society.
Last year’s theme, Unlocking the Everyday, highlighted how assistive technologies are vital lifelines to inclusion that enable people with disabilities to live independently and engage in their communities on an equal basis with others.
Yet, persistent challenges like limited access to assistive devices, inequitable systems, societal stigma, and gender-based disparities continue to create barriers. Additionally, external pressures — such as natural disasters — further magnify exclusion for many.
CBM’s IDPD event reminded us of the vital importance of creating a world where no one is left behind. Through equitable access to support services, inclusive infrastructure, and affordable assistive technology, we can work together to #UnlockTheEveryday and foster a society that empowers people with disabilities to thrive on an equal basis with others.
Help make your church accessible for people with disabilities
CBM Australia has created all new Luke14 training videos to help you and your church create a more welcoming and inclusive experience for people with disabilities. And the best news? It’s FREE!
To access these fantastic resources, please register your church at cbm.org.au/luke14.
The International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy has landed!
The Government announced $12m over 4 years for Assistive Technology in the Indo-Pacific – exactly what we’ve been asking for!
2.5 billion people, or 1 in 3 of us, require some form of assistive technology. So, the launch of the International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy (IDEARS) marks a momentous step forward towards disability equity in the Australian aid program.
This ground-breaking strategy paves the way for equity, prioritises partnership with Organisations of People with Disabilities, and sets performance targets for disability equity across all international and humanitarian efforts.
The new strategy also includes a commitment to the pre-conditions for inclusion, along with an investment in assistive technology.
CBM’s dedicated volunteers
Our volunteers work tirelessly to help the community, like Anne. Anne has been volunteering for CBM Australia for 29 years, and she says, “I love the work that CBM do. On a personal note, when volunteering for CBM, I feel I can simply be myself and feel accepted for who I am.”
Thank you Anne, for who you are, and for being such a special member of the CBM family. And thank you to ALL of our wonderful volunteers, for the extraordinary work that you do.
If are interested in knowing more about how to volunteer for CBM, please visit our website at cbm.org.au/volunteer for more information.