Working through local partnerships to strengthen inclusion and resilience across island nations, where climate, distance, and access shape daily life and disaster response.
Pacific Island communities face unique challenges, including geographic isolation, and increasing climate-related disasters.
Across the Pacific, communities are often spread across remote islands, where access to healthcare, rehabilitation, and support services can be limited. Distance, transport and infrastructure all affect how and when people can receive care.
At the same time, Pacific nations are on the front lines of climate change. Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity.
For people with disabilities, these challenges can be even greater. Without inclusive systems and planning, they are at higher risk of being excluded from essential services and emergency responses.
That is why cbm’s work in the Pacific focuses on strengthening local systems, supporting inclusion, and building resilience within communities.
Working alongside local partners in countries such as Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands, cbm supports programmes that strengthen disability inclusion, improve access to essential services, and build community resilience.
Together, we are helping create more inclusive communities where people with disabilities are supported to participate fully – including in times of crisis.
Together, we support locally led programmes that strengthen services, build capacity, and ensure inclusion is embedded in both everyday community life, and emergency response.
Our work focuses on disability-inclusive development, rehabilitation, assistive technology, and inclusive humanitarian action – all shaped by local context and community priorities.
![In Tuvalu Enoch, with cerebral palsy and down syndrome, received a new wheelchair buggy to help transport him around his island home.]](https://cbmchristianblindmission.blob.core.windows.net/assets/nova/about-where-pacific-2-tuvalu-wheelchair2.jpg)
In Tuvalu, people with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing services. With communities spread across nine remote islands and limited in-country resources, access to healthcare, rehabilitation, and assistive devices can be challenging.
Working in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, cbm supports the development of disability services that improve quality of life and strengthen inclusion.
![Devastation after the eruption in Tonga.]](https://cbmchristianblindmission.blob.core.windows.net/assets/nova/about-where-pacific-2-tonga-eruption_1.jpg)
Pacific Island communities are increasingly affected by natural disasters, including cyclones, flooding, and rising sea levels. People with disabilities are often among those most at risk during emergencies.
cbm works with local and regional partners to ensure humanitarian responses are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of people with disabilities.
![In Samoa, Herbert is the Disaster Risk Reduction officer at Nuanua O Le Alofa (NOLA) in Apia, Samoa, where he is influencing and educating emergency responders on how to improve services for people with disabilities. Herbert is also blind.]](https://cbmchristianblindmission.blob.core.windows.net/assets/nova/about-where-pacific-2-samoa-resilience.jpg)
Across the Pacific, organisations of persons with disabilities play a vital role in advocating for inclusion and supporting their communities.
Through partnerships with the Pacific Disability Forum and national organisations in countries such as Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands, cbm supports the development of inclusive systems and community resilience.
Through a partnership with local organisations in Tuvalu, cbm helped deliver vision and hearing screenings for more than 1,000 children, identifying students who needed further care and support.
By finding and treating issues early, this initiative is helping children learn, participate and thrive, while strengthening local healthcare capacity for the future.
![In Nepal, Dinesh received a life-changing prosthetic limb and rehabilitation at a cbm-funded hospital.]](https://cbmchristianblindmission.blob.core.windows.net/assets/nova/about-where-pacific-2-tuvalu-wheelchair2a_1.jpg)
Together with local partners and communities, cbm is working to strengthen inclusion and resilience across the Pacific.
Thank you for your kind heart.