Africa East and South

CBM Africa East and South Regional hub (AFES) is based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Hub oversees CBM’s work in nine East and South African countries of Rwanda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.  

All the countries in AFES have signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.   

According to the Africa index and dashboards report 2020, All African countries including AFES region are facing challenges in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. The challenges include demographic imbalance, governance, data gaps, inequalities and discrimination, shocks and fragility, socio-economic status, geographical location and limited resources. 

1. Inclusive practices – strengthen the voice and autonomy of people with disabilities 
2. Community participation: build inclusive and resilient communities 
3. Capacity building: build inclusive and sustainable local and national systems and services  
4. Inclusive humanitarian action: ensure that populations affected by natural and man-made disasters have access to inclusive humanitarian assistance.

The emphasis of CBM’s work in AFES is on local capacity development to increase service delivery in the fields of Inclusive Eye Health, Community Based inclusive development, and Ear and Hearing Care. CBM is deliberate about the development of partner organisations and persons with disabilities, advocating for inclusion in local and international policy-making bodies, government, and diverse organisations. 

CBM’s Inclusive Humanitarian action ensures that the needs and rights of persons with disabilities are not forgotten in times of conflict or natural disaster. 

AFES works with 100 implementing partners and 153 projects across the region with a budget of over 30 million Euros. In 2020, we reached over 11 million people through our IEH and CBID projects. Our partnerships provide a wide scope and reach of work, with national staff competencies in these initiative areas and are recognised by their national governments. Our partnerships also include diverse range of collaborations with technical working groups, government line ministries, local registered organisations and institutions, alliances and networks both at local and international level. 

1. Inclusion is mainstreamed in government and other support services and systems 
2. Visual impairment is reduced 
3. Communities are inclusive, resilient, participative, accessible and disaster prepared 
4. Capacity of country offices is strengthened 

Key delivery strategies: systems strengthening, community engagement and participation, nurturing of enabling environments, institutional capacity building.