In 2019, DCDD has awarded ‘small grants’ to four of its participants for the first time. With the assistance of an independent jury, Dorcas, SOFT tulip, Tunafasi and Liliane Foundation were chosen as the four winning initiatives to carry out projects that promote disability inclusion in low- and middle-income countries. Recently, Tunafasi and Liliane Foundation concluded their ‘small grant’ activities. It is great to see the important steps towards disability inclusion they have been able to promote (in their partner countries)! Read their exciting results below.
Tunafasi: Sharing learning sessions on creating equal opportunities for children with a disability in East Congo
The Tunafasi programme started as a pilot in 2019, with the aim of improving the quality of life of children with disabilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is done in collaboration with the DRC based organisation ADED (Appuie au Development d’Enfant en Detresse). The year 2020 focused on tangible improvements in the lives of children with severe disabilities and income generating activities for families with a disabled child. Besides, priority was given to the integration in school of young children with a disability, as well as establishing long-term partnerships in Uvira and in the Netherlands.
DCDD’s small grant was used to give the start of the programme a boost! During this start-up phase, 982 children and youth with disabilities were identified, medically screened and received a personal development plan. Additionally, Tunafasi- together with ADED- collaborated with various DPOs and service providers, as well as government officials.
The Tunafasi Project is a 4-year programme starting in 2020. Due to flooding’s in April 2020 and the consequences of COVID-19, the team has experienced a delay in the implementation and in strategic planning. New needs related to emergency situation of children with disabilities and their families have to be responded before involving them in to resilient activities with community-based rehabilitation principles. 175 disable children households affected by the floods will receive emergency aid as a very first step of Community Based Rehabilitation.
Expected measurable results by the end of 2020:
– 74 children will receive medical services;
– 50 children will be accessing school or vocational training;
– 451 children will be involved in Self Help Groups.
We look forward to sharing more inspiring results regarding this programme with all of you in 2021!
Liliane Foundation: Sharing is empowering: Promoting inclusive and accessible publishing
Breaking down Barriers was initiated by the Liliane Foundation in 2015 to identify the success factors of advocacy for children with disabilities. The programme aims to share all outcomes of the project for learning and dissemination beyond the project. This is done by sharing project sheets on the website www.barriersfree.org. The platform is an experimental academic platform for digital methodological development and co-creation. Liliane Foundation uses this innovative practice to show how inclusion works. Currently, the organisation is working on the set-up of Breaking Down Barriers 2.0, together with Radboud University this time, whereby no fewer than 31 studies will be conducted in the next 4 years (mainly by local master students). These studies will take place in Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
Accessible information is the main tool for making information inclusive. This can be achieved by producing materials in ways that meet specific user needs, for example by adding Braille, Large Print and Symbols. Liliane Foundation used the DCDD grant to incorporate some necessary publication tools in the project: Production of Sign language videos; Implementation Reading options; and Content conversion in Large Print and Symbols.
Liliane Foundation’s Strategic Partner in Cameroon investigated and implemented new accessible formats to be applied on the website of Breaking Down Barriers. The new formats form the starting point for activities aimed at strengthening Liliane Foundation’s capacity (to be effective) and that of their partners in low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, Liliane Foundation used the small grant to pilot video clips (English sign-language), cartoons and story books to make their website more inclusive. Currently, they are also working on a booklet for partners who do not have internet.
DCDD’s Small grant has contributed to the development of inclusive research and even inspired the website builders of the new Lilianefonds.nl. According to the Liliane Foundation, what has been implemented so far to the development of a more inclusive website, is just the start. Tools will not only to be incorporated on the website, but to also be used in webinars; learning sessions; DPO and community meetings and for individual use.
Finally, the grant also inspired the Liliane Foundation to investigate more tools and formats to communicate in a more inclusive manner. The results of these investigations will be shared soon with the DCDD network!
Curious about the project results of SOFT tulip and Dorcas? You can find them in our earlier newspost.
