• A group of women © © CBM/Gonzalo Bell

Asia – comprehensive support and disability inclusion

Asia is the largest continent on Earth, home to more than 4.8 billion people. However, a significant portion of this population lives in poverty, particularly in rural regions. Poverty and disability are interconnected, creating a cycle in which each one worsens the other. This is especially evident in low- and middle-income countries, where factors associated with poverty—such as limited access to healthcare, inadequate water and sanitation, malnutrition, and poor living conditions—significantly increase the risk of developing disabilities. In response to this pressing issue, CBM, in collaboration with local partners, provides comprehensive and sustainable support to persons with disabilities.

CBM is dedicated to enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities in low and middle-income countries. The organisation aims to disrupt the cycle of poverty and disability, striving to establish a world where persons with disabilities enjoy the same opportunities and rights as their peers and can live free from disease and poverty. To realise this objective, CBM finances medical and rehabilitative projects, promotes educational and livelihood initiatives, and implements comprehensive disease prevention strategies.

© CBM/argum/Einberger
Alekhya (right) and her mother are beaming all over their faces. Thanks to an eye operation at the CBM-funded Sankar Eye Clinic in India, the five-year-old can now see again.

Addressing poverty and disability in Asia

Poverty remains a significant issue in various regions of Asia, despite the economic growth experienced in numerous countries. In Pakistan, for instance, 22 per cent of the population lives below the national poverty line, according to the UNDP Human Development Index from 2023 to 2024. Many people lack access to adequate sanitation facilities and clean drinking water, which facilitates the unchecked spread of diseases and can lead to severe disabilities.

The Lancet Journal reports that over 95 per cent of the population in South Asia (as well as Central, East, and West Africa) do not have access to surgical care. Consequently, injuries frequently result in lifelong physical disabilities, and congenital malformations often go untreated. Furthermore, many illnesses and disabilities remain undiagnosed, unaddressed, or inadequately treated at an early stage. Persons with disabilities frequently encounter barriers to educational opportunities, which severely diminishes their prospects of securing employment that would enable them to escape poverty.

To disrupt this cycle of poverty and disability, CBM actively supports a variety of projects aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities.

CBM projects

  • 1908 CBM has been active on the Asian continent since 1908.

  • 95 CBM supports aid projects in Asia (as of 2023).

  • 11 CBM supports persons with disabilities in 11 Asian countries (as of 2023).

Inclusion and healthcare for persons with disabilities

To promote health care for all, CBM has introduced mobile eye clinics in India – in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and in the rural areas of Delhi. © CBM/argum/Einberger
To promote health care for all, CBM has introduced mobile eye clinics in India – in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and in the rural areas of Delhi.

In 1908, Ernst Jakob Christoffel embarked on a journey to eastern Turkey to establish a home for children with disabilities in Malatya. The first cataract operation sponsored by CBM occurred in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1966. In the years that followed, CBM’s medical and rehabilitative initiatives expanded throughout Asia. The central focus remains on inclusion, emphasising that persons with disabilities must fully participate in all facets of society, while national health systems should be strengthened to support this goal. For instance, German ophthalmologist Dr. Manfred Mörchen contributed his expertise in the Philippines from 2014 to 2020, advising the CBM partner organisation EHFI, the Ministry of Health, and the CBM country office in Manila to enhance the inclusion of ophthalmology services.

In India, significant progress has been achieved regarding including persons with disabilities, resulting from CBM’s initiatives that have facilitated substantial legal reforms since the late 1960s. Notably, the rights of persons with disabilities are now enshrined in law, with state funding available for various forms of assistance. Additionally, a significant milestone in our efforts was the establishment of the Biratnagar Clinic in Nepal, which ranks among the largest eye clinics globally, providing vital services that prevent blindness and restore sight to numerous people daily.