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Uhambo and Shonaquip have over 35 years of experience providing clinical support and devices in line with the World Health Organisation Guidelines and the South African National Rehabilitation Policy, recognizing the vital need for skilled services and appropriate devices to ensure that children are included and, as importantly, to prevent the often life threatening complications that result from inappropriate device provision. We are committed to providing appropriate clinical support and devices to children with mobility disabilities, as well as building the local capacity to support the ongoing service provision and support needed for children and adults as they grow.
Uhambo is working in Newcastle, South Africa to provide appropriate clinical support and devices to children with mobility disabilities, as well as building the local capacity to support the ongoing service provision and support needed for children and adults as they grow. Our programs provide children with disabilities the opportunity to be included in their community, have improved quality of life, not face stigma, and reach their potential through developmental educational programs. We accomplish this by building the capacity of community health care workers, medical professionals, caregivers and family members. We collaborate with local and regional health care and community partners to accomplish our objectives and allow for sustainability in the community.
In this region of over 500,00 people, approximately 5,200 people have a mobility disability and 2,600 children have a mobility disabilities. As a result of the specific needs of children as they grow, all children with mobility disabilities are classified as needing "specialized" wheelchair seating. Newcastle Rotary Club members have experienced the needs of children in this community after they distributed more than 100 standard (not specialized) wheelchairs in the community. Therapists have not been trained to seat children in specialized wheelchairs. In addition, there are currently no ECD centres available in the community for children with disabilities.
As such, Uhambo and its clinical partner, Shonaquip, plans to address these challenges by providing the following solutions:
1. Appropriate wheelchair clinical services: Shonaquip therapists assess children with disabilities identified by, and together with, the local rehabilitation department therapist(s), to prescribe the most appropriate device for each client.
2. Skilled Clinical Services: Provide outreach clinics to assess, prescribe, fit, customize, repair and reposition children in devices as they grow, in accordance with The World Health Organisation guidelines.
3. Provision of appropriate wheelchairs: Providing new or refurbished devices, we would prescribe only devices that are on the National Tender.
4. Training of local therapists: Training will occur at the Newcastle Hospital and in the community. Our training and outreach clinics have been accredited for 7 CPD points. The training of professionals is vital for sustainability of programs in the community and for the ongoing progress of the disability sector.
5. Caregiver Training: We train parents and/or caregivers in the use of devices and the individual positioning needs of the child/children in their care. This training is vital for sustainability in the community and for the ongoing progress of the disability sector.
6. Community Empowerment: We run disability sensitization trainings at our outreach sites with a focus on reducing stigma, increasing attendance at clinic appointments and building local networks of support. This is a vital component of our work and the provision of support to families who are isolated as a result of social stigma. This contributes to sustainability as well, by creating disability advocates in the community who can carry forth and stand for children with disabilities.
Funding will go towards all of the activities mentioned above.
Newcastle Rotary members will assist with partnership development in the community, budget management, community involvement and press on the project.
This project takes place over the course of 18 - 24 months.
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