1000 Physically Disabled to be Mobile in Kenya

Rural Kolkata Project ongoing through ReJenga

Objectives:

• To enhance the capacity of children by providing qualitative rehabilitation services. 
• To provide training for capacity building of the families and community to take care their children within the community. 
• To involve the community through different programmes for socio-economic rehabilitation. 
• To promote opportunity, participation and ensuring the rights of the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Activities Conducted in Annual Period

Strategy 1: 

Activity 1: Facilitate the physical development and self-help skills development of the children with disabilities. 

Activity Description: (how it is done/ process): The centre was physically functioned up to 15th May21, then we faced the 2nd wave of COVID19 serge which caused stop to physical contact and we started providing rehabilitation support via online platform and phone calls. From 1st week of September we open our community rehabilitation centre as planned manner.

Output (what is the result): During this period, we reached 30 Children who received 677 therapeutic sessions, 94 sessions of life skills training 38 session of multisensory therapy. These sessions of therapeutic programme is improving their physical development and also improving in the Activities of daily living skills.

22 children received aids and appliances such as Ankle foot orthotics, KFO, Gaiter special CP chair these materials boost up their development and enhance their abilities. 

Activity 2:Improve the cognitive & social skills of the children with disabilities

Activity Description (how it is done/process): As per the previous mentioned activity description in ‘Facilitate the physical development and self-help skills development’, we similarly continued the Special Education facility. We also started the Special education from our Community Rehabilitation centre from the 1st Week of September. The special educator conducted the session for the cognitive development of the children according to the individual need of the children.

Output (what is the result): Through online programme we are able to reach 15 children with intellectual disability who received 447 no of special education session and 199 no of session of basic speech therapy session.

The Special Education helps the children to develop cognitive level and promote normal schooling. They learn functional education, social skills and communication for daily living. 

Activity 4: Training of parents/caregiver

Activity Description (how it is done/process):

We organized 3 programmes during this period, during the covid pandemic we meet with the parents and dipelly discussed the issues of continuing rehabilitation programme in home environment with the support of online services and we discussed the COVID protection protocol for them. And on 3rd December on the eve of IDPwD we celebrate the day along with awareness and various cultural programme. And in March we hold a meeting to make the parents understand the NIRAMAYA health insurance scheme and its claim procedure. 

Output (what is the result):

106 Parents were participated in those training programme and understand various issues, most importantly the issues of COVID protection protocols and NIRAMAYA health insurance claim settlement process which can make benefit of them for the medical treatment of their child. 

Activity 6: Community visit and Home-based activities monitoring programme.

Activity Description: (how it is done/process):

During the lockdown period, the project staff made home visit nearby the community and continued the rehabilitation programme in individual home, we also made counseling session with parents to keep them motivate and address their concern regarding their child development during this pandemic time.

Output (what is the result): Liaison created among the community and programme activities and they were given opportunity to identify, screen and refer children with disability for rehabilitation care. 

The home management programme developing, parents motivated and their confusion regarding any home management programme is removing.65 home visit and follow up made during the year.

Activity 7 – Facilitate to enrolled the children in Government schemes

Activity Description – We promote the Children with disability to enroll in various government schemes during this period.

Output – 14 children enrolled under NIRAMAYA health insurance scheme by the National Trust, Government of India and14Children enrolled under MANBIK pension scheme under Government of West Bengal.

Outcome of the project:

• After getting regular therapeutic session 08children able to walk a few steps without support and develop skills for balancing to keep walking with their feet.
• 04 children become able to stand and learning to walk.
• 15 Children able to sit without any support after received the rehabilitation support four child able to maintain some activities of daily living skills to maintain their life.  
• 08children become independent in toilet training.
• 07 children able to eat by self. 
• During this year 14 received disability certificate and ID card to avail the benefit from Government.

Key achievements as a result of the intervention with target population/community:

• The Children with disabilities can receive support in their door steps where there is no other such kind of support available. Many children after receive the support able to attend the school and merge in community ongoing programmes. 
• Parents professional relationship is well established which help to transfer the skills to work in home environment. 
• The mental health of the parents is developing and they except the problems of their children.

Challenges Faced During this period –

The COVID Pandemic brings most unpredictable challenges for the CBR programme. In May 2021 the 2nd wave of Covid Hit and that’s made very worse situation in our country, Government declared Lockdown again so , from the month of May 2021 to August 2021 we oblige to close the Panskuracommunity rehabilitation centre keeping mind the safety of children, parents and our staffs from the contamination of Corona virus. We know that the physical contact with the profession is very important for the optimal development of the children but we miss these days. 

To face the Challenge and keep the objectives on track we did the following measurements-

1. Therapy and special education programme via online using whatsapp platform, to those parents having facilities of Smart phone and Net connection.
2. Use regular phone calls to those parents do not have smart phone and or net facilities. And in calls our professionals discussed with the programme and progress and counsel the parents to continue the rehabilitation programme. 
3. The therapist and special educator made individual home visits to the nearby children where the transport facilities were available.