Help stop River Blindness today!

Flies stole Albert’s sight.

The disease that fills parents with fear.

Right now there is fear gripping parents across Africa – the fear of a terrible disease that’s ravaging whole villages.

It’s called River Blindness, and the way it destroys sight is nothing short of horrific...

Albert knows River Blindness all too well. When he was infected by a black fly, he didn't even realise that with every bite, tiny worms were entering his body.

At first, Albert noticed bumps under his skin. These were the parasites’ larvae, clustering together in knots. When they died, they released a toxin that resulted in unbearable itching and eventually blindness.

Think about when you’ve been bitten by a single mosquito. What Albert was experiencing was much, much worse. His chest, back, head and armpits were on fire with pain and unbearably itchy. He scratched his skin raw with an old corncob, but there was no relief.

As he was suffering, Albert also noticed his vision weakening.

“First, I couldn’t recognise people from far anymore. Then I could hardly see the people close to me. My surroundings became foggy. Eventually I saw only shadows – and finally I lost my sight completely.”

Albert was helpless to do anything to stop the agony and the medication came too late to prevent him going completely blind…

Now, Albert fears for his family. Can you imagine such terror? Would his beloved granddaughter Sylvie be next?

You see, once one person is infected, it doesn’t stop there... Black flies bite the infected person, picking up the parasite and spreading it to others. Soon, an entire community is at risk of going blind…

You can understand why Albert is afraid for his children and grandchildren if they lose their sight. And he’s not alone in his fear.

That’s why we must act today to stop the endless suffering.

Help STOP River Blindness when your gift is MULTIPLIED X 7

Donate now

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How do worms cause blindness?

It’s hard to imagine something worse than having parasitic worms crawling under your skin. But in countries across Africa, these nightmare worms are destroying people’s eyes from the inside out. Here’s how…
What causes River Blindness?

A black fly infected with the parasite Onchocerca volvulus bites someone.
The worms mature and form nodules under the skin.
They reproduce rapidly, sending tiny worm larvae throughout the body – eventually into the eye.
As they die, they give off a toxin that destroys the optic tissue, leaving the person blind.
The itching is so intense people make special knives to scratch through the skin… then a black fly bites an infected human, starting the cycle over.

Last year CBM was able to reach over 15.6 million people with sight-saving Ivermectin – but many villages like Albert’s are urgently waiting for help.

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Your help x7 can eradicate River Blindness!

With help from people like you, CBM has made huge inroads into stamping out River Blindness in some of the most remote places in Africa. We’re thrilled to report it has been completely wiped out in Senegal and Mali!

In 2018 we’ve committed to getting medication to families in Nigeria, where 50 million people are threatened by this horrible disease, and stopping River Blindness for good!

If we can run mass distribution of medication, we believe we can stop the cycle of infection, and stamp out the disease. As a world-leader in preventing blindness, CBM has the expertise in place to deliver the medication in the most at-risk regions now.