The funds raised will help people with sight problems access sight-saving surgery, glasses and support, enabling them to go to school, get around safely and support themselves and their families. Worldwide, an incredible three out of four people who are blind don’t need to be.
As well as donations from generous UK individuals, the fundraising total includes £1,320,921.00 of match funding from the UK government. This match funding from the UK government will enable CBM to launch an ambitious new three-year programme to improve access to sight-saving eye-health services in Malawi, Southern Africa.
Dr Vincent Moyo is an eye surgeon at Nkhoma Eye Hospital in Malawi, a long-term partner of CBM who will be working with the charity to deliver the project.
He said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of CBM supporters in the UK and the match funding from the UK Government, we’re now looking at ways to broaden our plans for the See the Way project so that more people in Malawi, particularly in rural areas, will have improved access to vital eye health services. Because of the amazing funds raised, this project will be able to train even more eye health workers and provide more equipment to health centres than we originally hoped. This support is needed now more than ever, due to the challenges of Coronavirus, which has prevented people from being able to access treatment for eye conditions in the last year. We thank you so much for all of your support – with your help we will be able to reach out to many more people with vision problems in Malawi and help them access treatment.”
Several Cambridgeshire organisations supported the appeal by raising funds and awareness, including Cambridge 105 Radio, St Ivo Academy and Club4U childcare provider in St Ives, central Cambridge opticians Clamp Optometrists, Oakington Garden Centre and Café, St Philip’s Church, Cambridge, Trinity Hall College Chapel, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and Ely-based audio visual company QAV.
CBM (Christian Blind Mission) is an international, Christian charity working to prevent blindness and transform the lives of people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places. The charity recently relocated from Oakington to Mercer’s Row, Cambridge.
An estimated 75% of the world’s blindness is avoidable. Every day, people in the world’s poorest places become needlessly blind because of conditions that could easily be treated. Too often, if you live in a poor community, losing your sight also means losing the chance to go to school, live independently or earn a living.
CBM’s See the Way appeal was part of the UK government Aid Match scheme; every pound donated by the UK public to the appeal was doubled by the UK government. UK Aid Match brings charities, the British public and the UK government together to collectively change the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. It allows the British public to have a say in how UK aid is spent, whilst boosting the impact of the very best civil society projects to reach the poorest people in developing countries. www.ukaidmatch.org