Pogradec is a city of 37,000 people in southeastern Albania. Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with about 34% of the overall population living poverty. In rural areas and among marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, the rate is much higher. The education system in Albania offers very little support for children with special needs; in Pogradec, lack of services means that close to 100% of children with special needs are never able to attend school, and reach adulthood with limited options for dignified and independent living.
This project will help more children with disabilities receive the support they need to thrive in school. The nonprofit organization Nehemiah Gateway (NG) has helped thousands of people living in poverty in Albania since 1991, offering medical and social aid to people in need, and education for people for whom the public education system is inaccessible. This includes significant work with children with disabilities. NG has raised funds to add a new Children's Learning Center to its current clinical space, addressing a significant community need that it cannot meet with existing staff and facilities. This Center, consisting of two therapy classrooms connected by a shared waiting room and restroom, will be staffed by a team of nurses and specialists. Our team will reach more children at an earlier age, providing services typically available at schools in developed countries. The proximity of the private, preK-12 Nehemia School will enable families to combine care and education where appropriate for the needs of the child; scholarship funding will be available.
The project supports several of Rotary Global's areas of focus. It is primarily an education project that will increase education opportunities for special needs children and build capacity in the Pogradec community to meet the needs of special needs children. Additionally, it addresses WASH goals by including funding to install an accessible bathroom (including handwashing and drinking water stations) in the center, and staff and student instruction on proper handwashing and hygiene.
The cost of this project is anticipated to be approximately $35,000 (preliminary estimate).
• Training of clinicians to work at Children's Learning Center: $3,500
• New clinical staff person at 100% for 1 year. After the first year of operation the cooperating organization will assume responsibility for this salary. This person will be needed to work with an anticipated 50% increase in work with children with disabilities. $6,000
• Speech therapist and physical therapist at 75%, 1 year. This will help to cover transition to the new center, including training, outreach to area schools, and work with the children. After the first year, the cooperating organization will assume responsibility for their salaries. $4,500 each for total of $9,000
• Nehemia School scholarships for children with special needs: $6,340, first year
• Accessible bathroom, handwashing, drinking water station: $2,160
• WASH education for children with disabilities, training and implementation: $1,000
• Project management and administration: $3,500
• Monitoring and evaluation: $3,500
Estes Park Rotary and the Pogradec Rotary Club have already agreed to partner on a grant request to support this project. After the first year of operation of the Children's Learning Center, all staff compensation, including training and community outreach, as well as scholarships to Nehemia School and maintenance and upkeep of the bathroom, will become the responsibility of NG Albania, without further aid from Rotary.
Nehemiah Gateway has raised the funds needed to build the two clinical rooms, and when funding for the bathroom, staffing, and training, are received, construction will begin-a process that will take six months or less. Special needs children will begin receiving services and attending school immediately afterwards.
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