Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Programme
Community
Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is the strategy initiated and promoted by the World
Health Organization for cross-sectorial, human rights based approach towards
inclusive development. Jairos Jiri Association CBR ensures men, women, boys and
girls with disabilities and their family members access the key essentials of
life such as health, education, livelihood with a strong focus on empowerment,
promoting inclusion and participation in all development and decision-making
processes. Thus, CBR encourages communities to accept men, women, boys and
girls with disabilities as integral members of the society. The concept
therefore is an approach to rehabilitation that focuses on equalization of
opportunities and social integration of all men, women, boys and girls with
disabilities within the community development. CBR is implemented using locally
available resources through the combined efforts of men, women, boys and girls
with disabilities themselves, their families, the community and appropriate
health education, vocational and other social services. The CBR concept is
aimed at dealing with practices that have characterized the treatment of men,
women, boys and girls with disabilities in the past which include isolation or
rejection, over protection, institutional welfare, separate educational
facilities and a wholesale medical approach to disability. This approach
isolated the clinical aspect of disability from the physical, social, psychic
and spiritual being of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
CBR structure
The structure used by the Jairos Jiri Association CBR programme is one that allows maximum participation of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities, their families and other community members in community development. Thus there is a Community Rehabilitation Worker (CRW) based at ward level and works very closely with the CBR and Advocacy committees. These committees are comprised of volunteers who are derived from the community representing different sectors of the community. The committees are involved in all the activities of the programme as a measure to ensure continuity after the JJA support from funding partners ends. Thus the committees keep their own registers and produce their own reports as they are part of the existing Ward development committee, implying that the committees do not belong to JJA but to the community. The CRW reports to the Community Rehabilitation Officer (CRO) who is at the District level and networks with different stakeholders which include the Department of Social Services, Registrar’s office, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and Ministry of Education Sports, Arts and Culture. The CRO reports to the Provincial Supervisor, who in turn reports to the Rehabilitation Executive (RE) at National level. The RE reports to the National Executive Director. This structure is bottom up as issues come from the grassroots up to national level. The Association has other structures that are used by the programme such as district, ward offices and Satellite Orthopaedic Workshops (SOWs) that serve men, women, boys and girls with disabilities by repairing appliances at local level. The field workers interact regularly with clients and reach them at their homes through use of various modes of transport ranging from bicycles, motorcycles and motor vehicles.
The services that are being offered in the CBR programme include the following:-
Target group
The target group for CBR programme is divided into the following two categories:
Primary target group – all persons with physical, mental, visual, hearing and other disabilities of all ages in the CBR operational wards.
Secondary target group – the families of PWDs, home based care providers, village community workers, extension workers, Residents Associations, community leaders and members of the community.
The targeting of clients differs depending on the activity being conducted, for example during awareness campaigns on disability the whole community is invited so as to raise awareness. Training on specific matters such as Behaviour change and HIV & AIDS, PWDs and or their caregivers are invited and training on Advocacy skills or disability rights PWDs, the CBR and Advocacy committees and community leaders are targeted.
Areas of operation
The JJA’s Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme operates in four provinces namely Masvingo Province (Chiredzi, Chivi, Bikita and Mwenezi districts), Matabeleland South (Insiza and Matobo districts), Mashonaland East (Mutoko District) and high density suburbs of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
Achievements
The Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme services over 3600 men, women, boys and girls with disabilities annually through provision of loans for self-help projects aimed at enhancing their economic status, trainings in disability management, provision of resources for increased access to education by boys and girls with disabilities, behaviour change programmes. The enhanced economic empowerment has led to some men and women with disabilities gaining respect in their communities as they are now being consulted on issues of community development. The CBR programme has also achieved in ensuring that other non-disability organizations mainstream disability in their activities and the needs of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities are considered in community development activities. Thus the organization is in a number of partnerships with other international and local organizations and these partnerships have been very effective in developing programmes that also consider the needs of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities.
CBR structure
The structure used by the Jairos Jiri Association CBR programme is one that allows maximum participation of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities, their families and other community members in community development. Thus there is a Community Rehabilitation Worker (CRW) based at ward level and works very closely with the CBR and Advocacy committees. These committees are comprised of volunteers who are derived from the community representing different sectors of the community. The committees are involved in all the activities of the programme as a measure to ensure continuity after the JJA support from funding partners ends. Thus the committees keep their own registers and produce their own reports as they are part of the existing Ward development committee, implying that the committees do not belong to JJA but to the community. The CRW reports to the Community Rehabilitation Officer (CRO) who is at the District level and networks with different stakeholders which include the Department of Social Services, Registrar’s office, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and Ministry of Education Sports, Arts and Culture. The CRO reports to the Provincial Supervisor, who in turn reports to the Rehabilitation Executive (RE) at National level. The RE reports to the National Executive Director. This structure is bottom up as issues come from the grassroots up to national level. The Association has other structures that are used by the programme such as district, ward offices and Satellite Orthopaedic Workshops (SOWs) that serve men, women, boys and girls with disabilities by repairing appliances at local level. The field workers interact regularly with clients and reach them at their homes through use of various modes of transport ranging from bicycles, motorcycles and motor vehicles.
The services that are being offered in the CBR programme include the following:-
- Identification, assessments and treatment of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- Home visits to develop intervention strategies for individual clients
- Referrals and follow up for appropriate services to various service providers
- Making available assistive devices to needy men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- Carry out economic empowerment programmes for men, women, boys and girls with disabilities which includes loan revolving fund and training
- Awareness raising on disability issues
- Lobby and advocate for the realization of the rights of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- HIV/AIDS interventions for men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- Gender and empowerment of women with disabilities
- Educational programmes for boys and girls with disabilities
- Educational programmes for boys and girls with disabilities (paying school fees, facilitate the establishment of resource units and advise on adaptation of the school environments)
Target group
The target group for CBR programme is divided into the following two categories:
Primary target group – all persons with physical, mental, visual, hearing and other disabilities of all ages in the CBR operational wards.
Secondary target group – the families of PWDs, home based care providers, village community workers, extension workers, Residents Associations, community leaders and members of the community.
The targeting of clients differs depending on the activity being conducted, for example during awareness campaigns on disability the whole community is invited so as to raise awareness. Training on specific matters such as Behaviour change and HIV & AIDS, PWDs and or their caregivers are invited and training on Advocacy skills or disability rights PWDs, the CBR and Advocacy committees and community leaders are targeted.
Areas of operation
The JJA’s Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme operates in four provinces namely Masvingo Province (Chiredzi, Chivi, Bikita and Mwenezi districts), Matabeleland South (Insiza and Matobo districts), Mashonaland East (Mutoko District) and high density suburbs of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
Achievements
The Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme services over 3600 men, women, boys and girls with disabilities annually through provision of loans for self-help projects aimed at enhancing their economic status, trainings in disability management, provision of resources for increased access to education by boys and girls with disabilities, behaviour change programmes. The enhanced economic empowerment has led to some men and women with disabilities gaining respect in their communities as they are now being consulted on issues of community development. The CBR programme has also achieved in ensuring that other non-disability organizations mainstream disability in their activities and the needs of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities are considered in community development activities. Thus the organization is in a number of partnerships with other international and local organizations and these partnerships have been very effective in developing programmes that also consider the needs of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities.
