The Leonard Cheshire Disability East and North Africa Regional Office was established in 1998 in Nairobi, Kenya, and supports eight countries. To learn about the work of the independent Cheshire partner organisations in these countries, please click on one of the following pages:
Kenya,
Uganda,
Ethiopia,
Tanzania,
Sudan,
Morocco,
Seychelles,
Rwanda.
The region has a high percentage of people with various kinds of disabilities. Facing exclusion from basic education, lack of access to employment and financial services, people with disabilities often live a life of poverty and deprivation. Disability in the region, at large, is low on the socio-economic and political development agenda. Most of the countries in the region have policies and legislation in place for the protection of disabled people’s rights but more often lacks awareness and accessibility to the direct consumers.
Our Programme:
The regional programme works with local organisations, to meet the various needs of disabled people in their communities. We work with disabled people, community organisations, government departments and other NGOs to build enabling communities where all people can enjoy the right to quality education, healthcare, rehabilitation and access to livelihoods.
Inclusive Education:
In Kenya, a successful 5 year pilot project on inclusive education has enabled us to develop other model programmes in Sudan and Uganda. This includes appropriate training of teachers to enable them manage children with special needs in the schools, physical and environmental adaptations of classrooms, toilets and playing fields so that all learners can have easy access to school facilities. The programme also focuses on changing attitudes and raising awareness on disability amongst disabled learners peers, parents and community members at large. Through this initiative, enrolment and retention of disabled learners has increased greatly.
Livelihoods:
In Tanzania, over 500 persons with disabilities and their families have benefited from business skills training and micro loans to improve their income generating activities which promote self reliance. Through group lending and saving schemes the repayment rate of the micro loans disbursed, is 97%, which is an amazing achievement. This has greatly boosted disabled people’s self esteem as they are now seen as being productive members of their families, are able to contribute to community initiatives and setting good examples of their credit worthiness to the mainstream microfinance institutions.
Capacity Building:
We work with the national Cheshire partners to build their capacity to provide needs based services to people with disabilities, enabling freedom and choice. This includes training in resource mobilisation, leadership, disability and development, advocacy and campaigning for the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the society.
New country Programme:
With new members to the region like Rwanda, which is undergoing a period of reconstruction,we will continue to strive to make our programmes rights focused and ensure that they have a direct impact on improving the lives of the thousands of people with disabilities within the country.
