RBC Université Catholique du Graben

A community-based rehabilitation programme aiming to reduce avoidable blindness and other preventable disabilities in Butembo.

In partnership with the Diocese de Butembo-Beni, we are working in close cooperation with various institutions and other local organisations to identify children with physical disabilities so that they can be referred for treatment. An orthopaedic hospital (also supported by CBM) organises mobile outreach campaigns around Butembo to provide orthopaedic surgery for children identified by the programme.

CBM in partnership with the Diocese, worked to implement an emergency programme which provided relife to internally displaced people (IDPs) with disabilities. This programme provided ante-natal care, medical treatment, nutrition therapy, supplementary feeding, eye care, the provision of assistive devices and orthopaedic surgery for children.

After renewed violence broke out in the Rutshuru area in November 2008, people were forced to flee towards Butembo. The demand for services provided by this programme increased sharply.