Support 100 children access assistive devices

1.0.          Introduction

To KCH, working in collaboration is a basic principle that has often yielded more effective and sustainable solutions in the delivery of our programs. This narrative report gives an overview of the activities that were implemented by the Advocacy, Partnership, and Communications section from the month of July to October 2023 in abide to expand the nitch of KCH services. The report also highlights the key achievements of the activity, challenges faced during implementation, lessons learned, and recommendations.

 2.0.          Organization Profile

Katalemwa Cheshire Home (KCH) is a development-oriented non-governmental organization (NGO), with a history of more than 50 years working for children with disabilities and their families. KCH is motivated by a deep commitment to providing holistic rehabilitation services to children with disabilities and their families.

 KCH delivers a wide range of rehabilitation services to children with disabilities including Medical and social rehabilitation, psychosocial support, fabrication and production of assistive devices, Education and Skills Development, and Livelihood support. KCH’s work also focuses on community empowerment, capacity building of partners, partnership, advocacy and networking, Research & documentation.

3.0.          Advocacy, Partnership, and Communication Activities Conducted to Increase Access to Assistive Devices for Children With Disabilities

3.1.           Partnership Visits

In this reporting period, in addition to reaching out to our already existing partners to strengthen the working relationship, we also reached out to new organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and institutions like schools to increase awareness of our rehabilitation care service including the use of assistive devices

KCH visited 6 organizations working for children including Cheshire Services Uganda (CSU), Spina bifida, and Hydrocephalus Association Uganda (SHAU, Children at Risk Network (Crane), Corsu, Combra Uganda, and Child Fund Uganda (CFU)

For organizations that KCH was already working with, a partnership health survey was carried out to ascertain the strength of the relationship.  

We also visited 6 primary schools within Wakiso District to raise awareness on assistive technology's roles in improving the learning outcomes of learners with disabilities. Management committees of these schools were educated on the need to improve physical accessibility in their schools to increase meaningful participation of learners with disabilities using assistive devices like wheelchairs and crutches.

3.2       Participation in partnership meetings, Advocacy, and awareness events

KCH participated in a number of meetings and events organized by like-minded organizations, institutions, line ministries, Departments, and Agencies on disability-related issues. These meetings were used as platforms to increase awareness of KCH rehabilitation care services and to source for partnerships in the fabrication of assistive devices for children with disabilities to increase access to assistive devices. Among other meetings and events, KCH participated in;

• The Round table stakeholder engagement with the parliamentary Health committee under the theme “Advocacy and visibility for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology” cause in the Country. The meeting that was held on 31^st August at Hotel Africana presented a policy paper to the Parliamentary Health Committee focusing on strategies and service provision models and on options for rehabilitation in health financing, models for integrating rehabilitation into primary care, approaches to community mobilization for increasing the demand for rehabilitation, and models for increasing service delivery by strengthening the workforce.  
• The 3^rd National Inclusive Education Symposium held on the 27^th and 28^th of September under the theme; “Advancing Inclusive Education: From Theory to Practice at Silver Springs Hotel. KCH showcased how prioritization of rehabilitation especially investment in assistive technology can advance inclusive education in Uganda.

• The 5^th Annual National Health Financing Conference that was organized under the theme “Deepening and Exploring Innovative Approaches to Domestic Health Financing”. This meeting which was held on the 19^th and 20^th of October at Gold Course Hotel brought together a diverse group of people including policymakers to deliberate on sustainable strategies for domestic health financing to reduce the catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure on health. It was noted in this conference that rehabilitation is one of the pillars of health that is underfunded; among other prayers, there was a call for political commitment to mobilize resources for rehabilitation if UHC is to be achieved.

• KCH also took part in the commemoration of World Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus Day which was held on 25^th October at the Imperial Royal Hotel under the Theme:"Accessibility for All: Empowering Lives, Embracing Differences. The event aimed at increasing awareness about Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus disability, facilitating collaboration among the different stakeholders to enhance resource mobilization, research, and services for individuals affected by Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and sharing best practices of management of SBH. KCH used this platform to showcase how assistive devices have improved accessibility for children with Spina bifida and hydrocephalus and to seek partnerships to increase access to assistive devices in different communities.

3.3 Media Engagement

In this reporting period, we also continued to reach out to the public through media; we conducted 2radio talk shows, 4 television talk shows, and 1 print publication to educate the public about disability and rehabilitation care services.

 These media engagements also aimed at creating awareness on the rights of children with disabilities and making the duty bearers accountable. 

 4.0.          Outcomes of the Partnerships Activities

• Increased public awareness on disability and rehabilitation care services including use of assisitve devices 
• Developed action plans with partners regarding disability inclusion in their organization including orientation of their organization staff on the concept of disability inclusion
• Political commitment made by policy makers to mobilize resources for rehabilitation and to increase demand for rehabilitation services  
• Established collaboration with relevant organizations, the private sector, and government bodies to increase the production of assistive devices
• Streamlined working relationships with already existing partner organizations

Challenges

The main challenge faced in the implementation of these partnership and advocacy activities was limited funds. Additionally, the planned visits did not take place as scheduled due to the different priorities in other organizations.

Conclusion

The importance of partnership cannot be over-emphasized in this error when resources are dwindling yet there is a lot to be done. There is a need therefore to raise more resources to establishments of healthy partnership to advance rehabiliation care services