Project profile — Poverty Alleviation Through Integration

The project aims to create an environment that leads to the inclusion of disabled persons in mainstream social structures, empowering them physically, economically and socially to become self-reliant and fully integrated members of their communities. The project focuses on the provision of inclusive basic education for children living with disabilities. This approach allows these children to participate in education programs. Christian Blind Mission International (Canada) proposes a multisectoral approach known as Community-Based Rehabilitation, recognized, among others, by the World Health Organization as an effective way to address barriers experienced by disabled persons in developing countries.

N/A

Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2013) include: (i) establishing or strengthening 26 special education resource centers in 23 schools, two colleges, and one university (exceeding the project target of ten schools and three colleges); (ii) training 78 teachers to maintain special needs equipment in schools with resource centres (exceeding the project target of 28 teachers); (iii) training 269 teachers in inclusive education training; (iv) 2,993 people on small business management, entrepreneurship and savings and credit schemes (exceeding the project target of 2,431 people); (v) establishing agreements with 15 health institutions to improve access to affordable medical care; (vi) referring 4,405 clients (with club feet, cleft palates or mobility problems, for example) for comprehensive rehabilitation and treatment over the course of three years; (vii) providing health education programs for 101,423 community members; (viii) raising the awareness of 243,379 community members through radio, television and print materials on health promotion; and (ix) producing and disseminating 7,500 brochures and other promotional materials about disability to the public. These results contributed to improving children with disabilities’ access to basic education, promoting healthier communities and economic empowerment, ensuring that people with disabilities receive affordable and comprehensive medical care, and changing public perception about the cause of disability.