In Africa Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a regularly used strategy to ensure that People with Disabilities can access equipment and services to assist in their daily lives. In many situations the local Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) is a crucial partner is this process.
One example is where Inclusive Communities for Persons with Disabilities (ICPD) worked with Kiengu Women Challenged to Challenge (KWCC). A local OPD in Meru County, Kenya, to provide assistive devices for children with Cerebral Palsy and related conditions. They: -
1. Conducted outreach to identify families with children who may benefit from postural support devices.
2. Organised for ICPD to evaluate each child’s postural needs.
3. Organised alongside ICPD to train and educate family members in the maintenance and use of the devices, as well as offering insights on child development and care.
This and much more can be achieved through collaboration. I normally tell people that OPDs offer their expertise gained through experiences. They have so much to offer and need to be tapped.
I too believe that OPDs are so often the overlooked resource of disability services. We have so much to offer but we are frequently not consulted and left on the sideline complaining that services do not adequately meet our needs.
One of the interesting things that came out of the Covid pandemic was that OPDs suddenly became a resource. They knew their members and they had links with their local communities. As documented by the International Disability Alliance in June 2020 and noted by several development agencies, they were able to communicate with both disabled people and the wider community. Regrettably, when the pandemic passed the position of our organisations reverted to how it had been!
Maybe we can make the mainstream society see our potential and see us as a resource and not a burden.