Empower 35 students with disability in Tanzania

EMPOWER 30 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY IN TANZANIA, REPORT NUMBER 12: MAIN IMPACT OF STEP BY STEP LEARNING CENTRE, SSLC IN 2023.

  INTRODUCTION: This report will summarise the main impact of SSLC from  January - December 2023 vis a vis our vision, mission and goals.

MISSION STATEMENT

SSLC’s mission is to promote the physical, intellectual, psychological and social development of each child through a holistic educational provision in an inclusive, empathetic, respectful, positive and stimulating environment so that special needs students and their families feel safe, accepted and loved. Staff use child-centered training and learning methods to encourage all children, including those having severe disabilities, to reach their maximum potential.

 VISION STATEMENT

SSLC aims to grow its capacity to provide a safe and stimulating learning and working environment for mentally and severely physically challenged students for as long as they need such support to progressively improve and learn appropriate Life and Job skills in order to achieve a degree of independence and dignity.

 MAIN GOALS

1. Twenty young students (age 6 to 17) with mental and physical challenges will access appropriate education, life skills training and appropriate therapy.
2. Ten young adults (over 18) with mental and physical challenges will get training in Job skills and thereafter employment, income, self-esteem, confidence and emotional empowerment.
3. Six Income Generating Projects (IGPs) will receive enough input to become viable and self-sustainable.
4. Fourteen Staff will receive support to provide compassionate, high quality holistic teaching, training and therapy to SSLC students.

 MAIN ACTIVITIES

1. Drawing an Individual Learning Program (ILP) for each student with input from his/her parents or guardians, then setting goals for each student
2. Conducting one on one, Hand over hand, Experiential - hands on teaching and training the young students in basic functional literacy and life skills
3. Providing professional therapies (Physiotherapy, Reflexology, Occupational Therapy and Speech Training plus Music, Dance, Art and Crafts.
4. Training and mentoring young adults on the job in the Income Generating Projects (IGPs): jewelry making from beads; gardening and Livestock keeping of cows, sheep, chicken, fish and bees.
5. Expanding the IGPs and professionalizing the job skills to make the projects financially viable and sustainable.
6. Providing administrative and support services to the program.
7. Collaborating with parents, community leaders and other similar programs in order to advocate for the rights of the disabled and sell the SSLC model.
8. Participating in advocacy activities like International  Autism, Down Syndrome. Cerebral Palsy and Disability days.
9. Raising funds from various sources to keep SSLC running

STAKEHOLDERS: In 2023, SSLC directly impacted a total number of 272 stakeholders. These were active project participants and beneficiaries (145 females and 127 males). They included students, staff, parents, guardians, caregivers, local and international partner organizations. A further additional unknown number of people are impacted by word of mouth around SSLC's local community and through social media Facebook and LinkedIn. 

 JUNIOR CORE PROGRAM (AGES 3 TO 17)

The Junior Program remained full with 20 students, three were new students enrolled in 2023. They had varying degrees of physical and mental challenges: 4 with autism, 9 cerebral palsy, 3 Downs syndrome, 2 Hydrocephalus, 1 epileptic and 1 slow learner. Attendance remained steady and good. Over 80% of the students were able to attend school 80% and above throughout the year. 80% and above of the students met the goals set in their Individual Learning Programs (ILPs) as reported in the end of year progress reports. 

 HOME BASED PROGRAM (HBP)

HBP was impactful for those students who were still kept at home due to distance, difficult family circumstances and severe physical challenges. They are, therefore, completely excluded from school or all other programs.  It also gave hope to the parents/guardians who felt stuck with the kids at home,

We  modified this program into what we called SSLC Outreach Services (S.O.S) to make it appealing to parents or guardians who can pay but have not found suitable schools or programs for their children.This will not only double up as an additional source of income for SSLC but spread and multiply the impact of SSLC in the community.

 ADULT PROGRAM (AGES 18 AND ABOVE)

At the begining of 2023, SSLC’s Adult Program still had 10 students most of them graduates from the Junior Program: 2 are living with autism, 2 cerebral palsy, 2 Down’s syndrome, 1 slow learner, 1 albinism and 1 Pfeiffer’s type I syndrome. At the end of 2023, one girl had dropped out because her parents got a job for her in a daycare centre!

The impact of learning job/employment skills on the job in the Income Generating Projects (IGPs) in a safe and positive environment was enormous on our students. These activities were our most effective advocacy tool in 2023, demonstrating that disability is not inability. We saw each of these vulnerable young adults grow in confidence, self-esteem and dignity. These sent a powerful message to everyone who knew or heard about SSLC.

  ADVOCACY

SSLC was an active participant in the marches and celebrations in Arusha town on World Autism Day on 2nd April, Downs’ Syndrome day on 21st March, Cerebral Palsy and Disability days.

Throughout 2023, SSLC’s work continued to be a model of care and provision for those with disabilities to a wide audience. 

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN IMPACT IN 2023

STAKEHOLDERS

Most of our stakeholders especially the caregivers appreciated our hard work, patience, perseverance and dedication.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We finally got connected to the grid and a biogas system!

SOCIAL MEDIA

SSLC has gained over four thousand combined social media contacts, friends and followers mainly on Facebook and LinkedIn. This was very impactful in selling our vision, mission, goals, activities and projects. 

DONORS

Competition for donor funding was stiff in 2023. Although none of the five proposals we wrote were successful, we were able to sell our vision to student sponsors and several friends.

PARTNERS

We were able to sign formal MOUs with two partners: one international and the other local. We maintained colloboration with four universities and two tour companies who brought their guests to tour SSLC and buy Adult Program IGPs products. GlobalGiving continued to be our reliable platform for fundraising and getting noticed by an international audience.

  SUSTAINABILITY

SSLC is supported by donations, grants, student Sponsors and Volunteers.  The Income Generating Projects brought in some income. With competition for grants from big donors getting more stiff, we were jolted to start developing a sustainability strategy in 2024.

Submitted by Margaret Kenyi

Founder and Executive Director

Step by Step Learning Centre, SSLC.

January 21st 2024.