ACTION
FOR DISABILITY
Overseas Projects - Tanzania
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In 1995 a
disability survey was carried out in a population of 143,000 in the Hai district to the
west of Moshi in conjunction with the Tanzanian Adult Morbidity and Mortality project,
which is based in Dar es Salaam. There is an ongoing register of disabled people, with
their diagnoses, in this population which is updated as part of a yearly house to house
survey.
In conjunction with Primary Health Care Ambassadors International, the Hai Disabled Society and the staff of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), we are keen to set up a community based rehabilitation (CBR) project. We plan to build a residential centre in Boomangombe in the Hai district, where individuals and the family carers will come to stay for 1-2 weeks to work with therapists and, where appropriate, a special needs teacher. In conjunction with this we plan an outreach programme with six generic therapists for follow up of people from the residential programme and also see other individuals for whom the residential programme is not appropriate. Initial training for the generic workers will be provided by the CBR team and they would receive regular in-service training both in the community and occupational therapy students with the project as the only physiotherapy and occupation therapy training schools on Tanzania are based at KCMC.
We are keen to continue our association with Motivation who set up wheelchair manufacturing facilities in developing countries. Motivation have set up the first ever Wheelchair Workshop Managers Training Course at TATCOT (Tanzanian Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists) at KCMC. Other students that may attend the CBR project are from TATCOT.
Our proposed partners are well respected, both nationally and internationally, and have particular expertise in facilitating community involvement. We feel this would be a worthwhile project working with many disabled individuals and their families.