community programme
CCBRT began as a community programme in 1994 with CCBRT searching for patients in the communities in need of eye care and referring them to the facilities available. Since then, the organisation has expanded to include a disability hospital and mobile clinics, but the community programme remains an important part of CCBRT’s work.
Community based rehabilitation (CBR) is the essence of the work of the community programme team. CBR advocates a comprehensive, holistic approach to rehabilitation and this is essential if there is to be a long lasting impact on the lives of children and adults with disabilities. Working in, and with, the community is crucial for the successful rehabilitation of patients. Therefore, to complement physical rehabilitation through medical care at the CCBRT disability hospital, CCBRT supports patients so they can become socially and economically empowered.
We also promote human rights, address cultural beliefs, and assist in the social inclusion of persons with disabilities into their local communities through the community programme.
Services offered by the community programme team aim at:
- improving quality of life for people with disabilities, their families and caregivers
- rehabilitating children with a disability for instance through home visits
- facilitating the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools
- addressing disabling environments and attitudes in the communities
- empowering people with disabilities to participate as equal members of society.
community programme locations
Community programme has bases in Dar es Salaam and Moshi, northern Tanzania.
In Dar es Salaam, the programme provides comprehensive rehabilitative services to approximately 1,400 children with disabilities and their families in three districts. The Dar es Salaam CBR programme includes two day care centres. Here, children with disabilities and their families and caregivers receive physical care, education, general support and an opportunity to take part in income generating activities.
In Moshi, the programme covers the Kilimanjaro region and has an extended outreach program for VVF, cleft lip/ palate and clubfeet. The programme aims to reduce barriers preventing people with disabilities from accessing available services, the lives of people with disabilities through rehabilitation, and address attitudinal and cultural beliefs. The programme includes a CBR support centre (called the House of Hope) and a training unit for the parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.
