be the reason she
sees her future
Right now, children like Bibi are losing years of school simply because the right specialist never reached them. You can change that.
A Future To Be Excited About
"I feel comfortable and can see more clearly."
Today, Bibi looks forward to going to school "because I can see the board clearly now." She joins in with her classmates. The teasing has stopped. Her father said: "We never stop her treatment because we want her future to be better than ours." Your gift makes moments like this possible. Right now, thousands of children like Bibi are still waiting.
When CBM's partner team reached Bibi's camp, they carried out a full specialist assessment — the first proper one she had ever received. They prescribed the right glasses and put a care plan in place.
"Her eyes were always watery since she was very small."
Bibi is seven years old. She lives with her family in Camp 18, Cox's Bazar — one of the largest refugee settlements in the world. From early childhood, her eyes were constantly watery, sore, and irritated. Her parents had no access to proper eye care and no specialist to explain what was happening.
"We did not understand it was a medical condition," they said. By the time Bibi was four, her symptoms had worsened: headaches, redness, difficulty seeing clearly. She was eventually given glasses — but the prescription was wrong. And so the struggle continued.
"It was painful to see her come home in tears."
At school, other children called Bibi blind and teased her relentlessly. She couldn't see the board. She fell further behind. "It was painful to see her come home in tears," her mother told us.
Her family did everything they could — but there was no specialist in Cox's Bazar who could give them the right answers. Without help, Bibi faced years more of pain, isolation, and falling behind through no fault of her own.
"My glasses hurt my eyes and did not help me see well."
Bibi had glasses — but they were the wrong prescription. Her vision stayed blurred. Her eyes kept aching. Reading was nearly impossible. Headaches made concentrating in class even harder.
"My glasses sometimes hurt my eyes and do not help me see well," Bibi told us. For a seven-year-old doing everything she could to keep up, the daily struggle was something entirely beyond her control — and beyond her family's means to fix.
Our Partners
& Supporters
50 thousand eye screenings in Madagascar Alone
(With YOur Help We Can Reach The Rest)
4.4 million people impacted worldwide (and counting)
give monthly.
change lives daily.
Monthly support means we can act faster, reach further, and restore sight before it’s too late.
IT ALLOWS US TO:
Plan sight-saving surgeries in advance.
Reach children earlier, when treatment works best.
Fund programs that provide on going care.
Give monthly today, and make life-changing impact, every single month.
How to Give
CBM has more than 100 years of global experience—and CBM Ireland has been part of that journey since 2002. Over the past two decades, we’ve reached hundreds of thousands of individuals with sight-saving care, inclusive education, and support for lasting change.
CBM Ireland, 176 Ivy Exchange,
Granby Place, Dublin 1
Give Monthly. Change Lives Daily.
Monthly donations make long-term impact possible. You’ll help us plan surgeries, reach remote communities, and respond quickly to urgent cases.
Start your monthly gift today and bring hope every single month.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is my donation used?
Your gift helps fund essential services like cataract surgery, transport to hospital, and post-operative care. It directly supports people in poverty experiencing avoidable blindness.
Can I donate monthly instead of a one-time gift?
Absolutely. Monthly giving helps us plan ahead and respond more quickly to urgent needs—reaching people like Juliana before it’s too late.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. If you donate €250 or more in a year and complete a CHY3 form, CBM can claim tax back—making your gift go even further at no extra cost to you.
How much of my donation goes to the people who need it?
We work hard to ensure that your donation is used effectively. At least 85% of funds go directly to programme activities, with the remainder supporting essential operations and fundraising.
Can I choose where my donation goes?
Donations to this appeal will go towards our sight-saving work, including cataract surgeries in areas like rural Kenya. If you'd like to support a specific area of work, get in touch and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
How much does a cataract surgery cost?
On average, €150 can fund sight-saving surgery for one person. Even smaller gifts can help cover transport, follow-up care, and screening.
Is it safe to donate online?
Yes. Our donation process is fully encrypted and secure. We never store your payment information or share your personal data.
Can I donate by post or phone?
Yes. You can post a donation to CBM Ireland, 176 Ivy Exchange, Granby Place, Dublin 1, or call us at +353 (0)1 873 0300 to donate over the phone.
Can I donate in honour or memory of someone?
Yes, many supporters choose to donate in honour of a loved one. Please contact us if you’d like to receive a special card or message with your gift.
Who can I contact with questions?
We’d love to hear from you. Call us on +353 (0)1 873 0300 or email info@cbm.ie. We’re here to help.