Empower 35 students with disability in Tanzania

INTRODUCTION: This report will summarize the main impact of SSLC from January - April 2024 Vis a Vis our vision, mission and goals.

MISSION STATEMENT

SSLC’s mission is to promote the physical, intellectual, psychological and social development of each child through a holistic educational provision in an inclusive, empathetic, respectful, positive and stimulating environment so that special needs students and their families feel safe, accepted and loved. Staff use child-centered training and learning methods to encourage all children, including those having severe disabilities, to reach their maximum potential.

 VISION STATEMENT

SSLC aims to grow its capacity to provide a safe and stimulating learning and working environment for mentally and severely physically challenged students for as long as they need such support to progressively improve and learn appropriate Life and Job skills in order to achieve a degree of independence and dignity.

 MAIN GOALS ANE OBJECTIVES

1. Forty young students (age 6 to 17) with mental and physical challenges will access appropriate education, life skills training and appropriate therapy.
2. Twenty young adults (over 18) with mental and physical challenges will get training in Job skills and thereafter employment, income, self-esteem, confidence and emotional empowerment.
3. Six Income Generating Projects (IGPs) will receive enough input to become viable, self-sustainable and a significant contribution to SSLC’s income and vulnerable young adults’ employment and livelihood.
4. Fourteen Staff will receive support to provide compassionate, high quality holistic teaching, training and therapy to SSLC students.
5. The East African region will look to SSLC as a model of care, quality education and exemplary mentorship.
6. Drawing an Individual Learning Program (ILP) for each student with input from his/her parents or guardians, then setting goals for each student
7. Conducting one on one, Hand over hand, Experiential - hands on teaching and training the young students in basic functional literacy and life skills
8. Providing professional therapies (Physiotherapy, Reflexology, Occupational Therapy and Speech Training plus Music, Dance, Art and Crafts.
9. Training and mentoring young adults on the job in the Income         Generating Projects (IGPs): jewelry making from beads; gardening and Livestock keeping of cows, sheep, chicken and bees.
10. Expanding the IGPs and professionalizing the job skills to make the projects financially viable and sustainable.
11. Providing administrative and support services to the program.
12. Collaborating with parents, community leaders and other similar programs in order to advocate for the rights of the disabled and sell the SSLC model.
13. Participating in advocacy activities like International Autism, Down Syndrome. Cerebral Palsy and Disability days.
14. Raising funds from various sources to keep SSLC running

 MAIN ACTIVITIES

 STAKEHOLDERS: From January to April 2024, SSLC impacted a total number of 342 stakeholders. These were active project participants and beneficiaries (185 females and 157 males). They included students, staff, parents, guardians, caregivers, local and international partner organizations. A further additional unknown number of people were impacted by word of mouth around SSLC's local community and internationally through social media Facebook and LinkedIn.

 JUNIOR CORE PROGRAM (AGES 3 TO 17)

The Junior Program admitted five new students three of which were triplet autistic boys. Five students left for various reasons. But we still maintained full capacity with 20 students. They had varying degrees of physical and mental challenges: 9 with autism, 6 cerebral palsy, 2 Downs syndrome, 1 Hydrocephalus, 1 epileptic and 1 slow learner. Attendance remained steady and good even by the new students. Over 80% of the students were able to attend school 80% and above in semester 1. Fresh goals were set in consultation with parents and caregivers in revised Individual Learning Programs (ILPs) for 2024. Laminated copies have been sent home at the end of semester one to guide parents and caregivers in following the set goals and how they should collaborate with SSLC to achieve them at home as well.  

 SSLC OUTREACH SERVICES (S.O.S)

The old Home Based Program (HBP) was modified into an outreach model to make it more appealing to parents and caregivers who can pay but have not found suitable schools or programs for their children. S.O.S will be housed in a professional therapy room in the new Adult Program Centre now under construction. It will not only double up as an additional source of income for SSLC but spread and multiply the impact of SSLC into the community.

 ADULT PROGRAM (AGES 18 AND ABOVE)

At the beginning of 2024, SSLC’s Adult Program had 11 students two of them graduates from SSLC’s Junior Program and one twenty-year-old secondary school dropout who we temporarily included in the program while the sponsor looked for a vocational training course for her. Two are living with autism, 3 cerebral palsy, 2 Down’s syndrome, 2 slow learners and 1 hydrocephalus. In the middle of semester one, the temporary girl got a placement in Eripoto safe home for girls!

The impact of learning and gaining employment skills on the job in our Income Generating Projects (IGPs) in a safe and positive environment continued to be enormous on these students.

  ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY IMPACT

Downs’ Syndrome awareness day 21st March was celebrated at SSLC with a special cake, goodies and drinks. The big five with DS cut the cake together and felt really special and celebrated.

We visited Eripoto safe home for girls rescued from child marriage, early pregnancy, trauma and abuse. We in turn got exciting visits from a German Tourist group and officials from The East African Law Society (EALS). Both groups heard about SSLC from the community. Word is spreading!

INFRASTRUCTURE

We finally started construction of a long time dream of an Adult Program Centre, thanks to a generous, unexpected grant from The Providence Foundation. We are praying for more funding to complete construction and furnishing of the center.

SOCIAL MEDIA

SSLC maintained its over four thousand combined social media contacts, friends and followers mainly on Facebook and LinkedIn. These continued to be very impactful in selling our vision, mission, goals, activities and projects.

DONORS

We wrote and submitted three proposals. We hope for favorable decisions.

PARTNERS

We were able to maintain our formal Global Hope Partnership with Accessible Hope International, our much needed Fiscal Sponsor and ambassador to the International world. EduAfrica-a unique tour company hosting education professionals continued to be our other valued partner. In February they organized a fruitful online service learning partnership between us and occupational therapy students of Heartland Community College.

GlobalGiving remained our reliable platform for fundraising and getting noticed by an international audience.

  SUSTAINABILITY

In January we took a bold move and launched SSLC’s Vision 2024: a Roadmap to Sustainability outlined below: 

1. WHAT?

• SSLC vision 2024 for sustainability is to empower SSLC to avoid depending wholly on donors, sponsors, friends and family for its long-term survival.

1. WHY?

• Competition for Donor funding is getting stiff and Donors continue to dictate their priorities and strategies over NGOs ones.
• Donor fatigue as many well-wishers get tired of giving to the poor
• Economies all over the world are struggling and affecting many that want to give and or support charities
• Students with disabilities need a safe place and a long time to gain knowledge and skills to empower them to live in dignity

1. HOW?

• Build an Adult Program Centre with:

1. Income Generating Projects (IGPs) workshop for training adult students in jewelry making, tailoring, weaving and other employment skills but at the same time raising income for supporting SSLC and creating livelihood for the students
2. A display shop for selling IGPs products to raise income and livelihood
3. A modern kitchen and dining hall cum circle time/social area but also for training the adult students cooking and waiter/waitress skills. At the same time, they will sell their training products: popular snacks, drinks and food for income and livelihood.
4. A modern professional Therapy Room where the teachers and volunteer professionals offer therapy to non-enrolled but paying students

• Build an Inclusive Education Model wing starting with:

1. A daycare room for all young children (three years and below) with and without disabilities
2. A pre-school class for youngsters (age 4 and 5) with and without disabilities
3. A grade one/primary one class for youngsters (age 6) with and without disabilities

• Influence and dictate to the Inclusive Education Wing how students from SSLC will be included into their program right from the start
• Start an aggressive and diligent appeal for funding in kind or cash locally and internationally

1. WHEN?

• Starting January 2024 as funding allows with the Adult Program Centre:

1. Phase 1: Foundation and floor slab
2. Phase 2: Walls, roofing, doors and windows
3. Phase 3: Move in to free two currently occupied classrooms for enrolment of new 20 young (age 6 to 17) paying/sponsored students for the Junior Program and 10 young vulnerable adults (age 18 and above) for the Adult Program – thus doubling SSLC’s capacity by increasing access to education and training, and impact in the community.
4. Phase 4: Complete with wiring, plumbing, painting and furnishings as funding is available

• Thereafter, whenever that will be, start building the Inclusive Education Model wing.