Our Work in 2022:
CBM Reaches Over 62 million People in 44 Countries
On the day after surgery, Joel is happy and awaiting his eye patch removal.
©CBM
CBM expanded its reach in 2022, impacting over 62 million people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. With continued support, CBM aims to change more lives and strengthen local health systems.
The Ukraine war has caused prices to rise sharply worldwide and many other crises have marked the year 2022. And yet CBM looks back positively in its success report: CBM was able to further expand its work and reach 10 million more people than in the previous year. In total, more than 62 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America received support from CBM.
CBM's goal is to change the lives of persons with disabilities in developing countries for the better and enable them to participate in society.
"The year 2022 has demanded a lot from all of us. The war in Ukraine and the suffering in the centre of Europe shocked us. The wave of willingness to help was overwhelming," says CBM CEO Dr Rainer Brockhaus.
"And despite the crises on our own doorstep, CBM supporters have not forgotten the most vulnerable in society in Africa, Asia and Latin America."
And despite the crises on our own doorstep, CBM supporters have not forgotten the most vulnerable in society in Africa, Asia and Latin AmericaCBM CEO Dr. Rainer Brockhaus
Growth of Ophthalmic Care
© CBM / argum / Thomas Einberger
8.8 million people received comprehensive support in CBM's core areas: medical aid, education, and rehabilitation. This represents an increase of 3.3 million compared to the previous year. Ophthalmic care is particularly close to CBM's heart. It has reached more than 7 million people - an increase of 54 per cent compared to 2021. For example, ophthalmologists in CBM-supported projects performed more than 494,000 eye surgeries, for example on cataracts, saving the sight of many people. In addition, 489,000 pairs of glasses and visual aids were distributed, a simple aid with a big impact.
In addition, more than 885,000 people participated in community-based inclusive development projects. They undertook training, gained access to the labour market or received financial support.
360,000 children and young people received schooling support from CBM in 2022 - the foundation for participation in society.
Distribution of Medicines and Combating Hunger
Naminyi Epuu, a visually impaired mother of four who lives in the drought-ravaged county of Turkana in Kenya
©CBM/Gitonga
After the end of the Corona pandemic, CBM and its local partners were again able to expand the mass distribution of medicines against neglected tropical diseases through communities and schools. As a result, more than 53.5 million people have been reached through the distribution of medicines for infections such as river blindness and trachoma. This is about 6.4 million more people than in 2021 who are now protected from diseases that, if left untreated, lead to permanent disabilities such as blindness.
CBM also supported 271,000 people in emergency situations - including in regions of East Africa affected by a devastating drought and famine.
Education and training for strong health systems
Promoting medical education and training is important to sustainably improve local care for persons with disabilities in developing countries and to prevent disability. In 2022, 16,443 people completed advanced training in ophthalmology, for example as ophthalmologists and optometrists. This is more than five times as many professionals as in the previous year - a big step towards strengthening local health systems.
"Thanks to the great support of our donors, we have reached almost 10 million more people with our aid in this crisis year. These successes are both an incentive and an obligation to continue pursuing our mission with all our might in the future," says CBM CEO Brockhaus.
