CBM Australia

15/06/2026

Our Story, Shared | The cycle too many people are born into đź”—

Did you know? One in seven people around the world live with a disability. That’s over a billion people, and most live in developing countries. Among the world’s poorest communities, people with disabilities are hit hardest.

Not because disability causes poverty, but because exclusion does.

When someone can’t go to school, see a doctor, find work, or be heard because of a disability, poverty tightens its grip. The cycle continues, not because of lack of ability, but because of lack of access.

But this cycle is not fixed.

When people with disabilities are included - really included - everything can change.

Breaking that cycle is at the heart of why we exist. Hear from people with lived experience how, together, we can end the cycle.

14/06/2026

6-year-old Camille has a thick, blinding cataract and a severe case of photophobia (light sensitivity). She URGENTLY needs sight-restoring surgery.

Her family is desperately poor, and can’t afford $33 to pay for a sight-saving cataract surgery. But perhaps you can?

Right now, your support can go even further. A gift made before June 30 will be doubled - helping Camille regain her sight and giving another child the same chance.

Give the gift of sight: https://www.cbm.org.au/appeals/sight

We’re building a picture of what it looks like when everyone has a place, piece by piece🧩Across Indonesia, around 23.3 m...
12/06/2026

We’re building a picture of what it looks like when everyone has a place, piece by piece🧩

Across Indonesia, around 23.3 million people live with disability, and many still miss out on the support and opportunities they need

Earlier this year in Jakarta, we brought people together, our partners, organisations of people with disabilities, and advisors, to share ideas, listen, and learn from each other.

Like a collage coming together, each story, each perspective, each lived experience added something new. A new colour. A new layer. A clearer picture.

Together, we’re shaping a plan for the next five years that reflects what inclusion looks like in everyday life across Indonesia, in the places we work. One guided by local voices, shaped by real experiences, and built together.

AI is having a moment – but here’s the good news 💡 While everyone’s talking about AI, people with disabilities are alrea...
11/06/2026

AI is having a moment – but here’s the good news 💡

While everyone’s talking about AI, people with disabilities are already using it to unlock new possibilities.

Take Stevie Wills - Performance Poet, Public Speaker, Writer and CBM associate.

She graduated with the highest ATAR… but because of the physical demands of writing with cerebral palsy, university wasn’t possible at the time. The ability was there - the support wasn’t.

Fast forward to today.

With AI-powered assistive technology, Stevie is now writing papers, creating, and sharing her voice.

“It was AI that radically transformed my life.”

A simple reminder: when technology is paired with the right support, it can open doors.

Read Stevie’s story on our website: https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/ai-stevie-wills

Our Story, Shared | What hasn’t changed over 115 years ⏳ A lot has changed since 1908.  The world looks different. The c...
10/06/2026

Our Story, Shared | What hasn’t changed over 115 years ⏳

A lot has changed since 1908.

The world looks different. The challenges feel more complex. But the heart of our work hasn’t changed.

We are still motivated by compassion and committed to bringing about a more just and equitable world by walking alongside people living with disabilities who are too often pushed to the edges.

Our foundations were shaped by a Christian faith - by the example of Jesus and His call to love, serve, and stand with those who are overlooked.

Today, people from many backgrounds stand with us. What unites us is a shared belief that the world works better when everyone is included.

You may remember nine-month-old Sombiniaina.Her mum knew early on that something was very wrong with her baby’s eye.They...
10/06/2026

You may remember nine-month-old Sombiniaina.

Her mum knew early on that something was very wrong with her baby’s eye.

They lived in a remote village and were far too poor to afford a screening.

Because of you, our doctors are equipped with pocket-sized ophthalmoscope called an Arclight.

With one in hand, our Partner Eye Doctor found a cancerous tumour in Sombiniaina’s eye.

Thankfully, she had urgent surgery and is now healthy.

Thank you for providing over 2,300 Arclights to help thousands of children just like Sombiniaina!

Ten years ago Josphat lost his right leg below the knee due to cancer. Overnight, his life changed.The impact of a commu...
09/06/2026

Ten years ago Josphat lost his right leg below the knee due to cancer. Overnight, his life changed.

The impact of a community outreach and prosthesis fitting saw Josphat shift from survival, to thriving.

Josphat is not only working in a role once considered impossible, but has started farming, growing food and establishing a small tree nursery. Building his future, and breaking through boundaries thought impossible to overcome.

Stories like Josphat's are not uncommon, with hundreds of people in the Meru Country receiving assistive devices, tailoring to their individual needs and providing them the opportunity to the freedom they deserve.

In light of World Assistive Technology Day last week, Josphat's journey highlights what is possible when we aren't defined by our barriers. To read more about Josphat's story, click this link - https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/assistive-technology-opening-doors-to-independence-and-opportunity

Happy

Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

A baby girl’s only chance to see.  When Michelle first saw the milky-white patches in the pupils of her baby Nadiah’s ey...
05/06/2026

A baby girl’s only chance to see.

When Michelle first saw the milky-white patches in the pupils of her baby Nadiah’s eyes, her heart sank.

Then her heart broke.

The doctor told her that Nadiah had cataracts in both her eyes! That she was going blind. That she needed immediate surgery. And that without it, she would remain blind for the rest of her life!

Then, they were told the cost of the surgery. It was more than what Michelle and her husband Andrew earned in a year! How were they ever going to save their beloved daughter’s sight?

Time is running out…

What they did not know... is thanks to wonderful CBM supporters like you, Nadiah’s sight saving surgery could be provided for FREE.

Can you imagine the joy Michelle and Andrew will feel in their hearts when your kindness helps their little girl receive the precious and blessed gift of sight?

But time is running out!

Please will you make an urgent donation right away so Nadiah can receive the life-changing cataract surgery she needs before it’s too late.

And every dollar you give before June 30 will be DOUBLED by our wonderful Hope Growers to give TWICE THE SIGHT to children like her at https://my.cbm.org.au/appeals/save-sight/donate

Today is World Day for Assistive TechnologyWe’re joining forces with to raise awareness of these everyday supports like ...
04/06/2026

Today is World Day for Assistive Technology

We’re joining forces with to raise awareness of these everyday supports like glasses, wheelchairs and screen readers - and the trained people and services needed to make them work well.

Across the Pacific, 2.3 million people need assistive technology (AT), but only 7.4% can access it. The gap is growing.

We’re working with local partners to help ensure people with disabilities can access these supports - but many still miss out. More support is needed so there are enough trained people and services to provide assistive technology in the right way.

Because, assistive technology + the right support = more opportunities
đź‘“ Glasses + assessment & fitting = help a child can learn at school
🦽 Wheelchair + the right fit & support = greater independence to get around
🦻 Hearing aid + ongoing care & adjustments = makes conversation possible
đź’» Screen reader + training & setup = access to information and opportunity

It’s a simple message: Right AT. Right need. Right time. Right way.

Because when it’s RIGHT, it unlocks education, work, connection, and independence.

Like and share to help raise awareness of these vital supports.

Partnering organisations:
CBM Australia
Australian Disability and Development Consortium - ADDC
Fred Hollows Foundation
Vision 2020
Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences at UniMelb (Nossal Institute)

The story of one person who wouldn't look awayThe formation of CBM is far from simple, with one man determined to recogn...
03/06/2026

The story of one person who wouldn't look away

The formation of CBM is far from simple, with one man determined to recognise and care for the people society overlooked.

Ernst Christoffel's legacy has lived on to become what we know as CBM today, and more than a century later...
..This same belief still guides us.

Every person matters, every life has value and every life should be lived to the fullest.

To learn more about our work at CBM, like and follow to see the stories of how your continued support transforms lives and helps end the cycle of poverty and disability.

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