Community-based rehabilitation
VSO Sri Lanka works with disability partners to improve community-based rehabilitation programmes in the country. These important programmes help disabled people gain access to their rights and participate in their communities.
In 2007, several disability partners in Sri Lanka participated in a LINKS study tour to India to attend a training programme on community-based rehabilitation (CBR). The partners learned about different aspects of CBR programmes in India and had the opportunity to share challenges and best practice with other organisations. They also learned useful skills such as fundraising, proposal writing, and monitoring and evaluation.
Tour sparks new disability programmes in Sri Lanka
This tour has had a positive impact on partners and the communities that they work with in Sri Lanka. Following the LINKS study tour, the partners used their learning to implement new programmes back home:
Child Vision (an organisation working with children who are at risk of abuse and neglect) in Trincomalee conducted training for local volunteers and disability clubs (self help groups).
SEED (a faith based charity) conducted an awareness programme at the village level in the communities where they work, which helped raise awareness of disability issues.
The Association of Women with Disabilities (AKASA) used the material from the training programme to develop awareness raising workshops with self-help group leaders, government officials, other NGOs and community members, thus increasing the impact of AKASA’s programmes.
AKASA also gained an improved understanding of methods to reduce marginalisation of disabled people and is supporting a project in which women with disabilities will become grassroots leaders and future advocates of disabled women.
Understanding a rights-based approach
Due to the LINKS tour several partners have also improved their understanding of a rights-based approach. This has led to a greater emphasis on improving access of mainstream and special services for disabled people in the communities. For example, after returning to Sri Lanka, VSO partner Equality-based Community Support and Training (ECSAT), changed their strategy from providing outreach services to creating the Disable People's Organisation.
Impact
The study tour has strengthened partner programmes and changed partner attitudes toward working with people with disabilities.
VSO partners in Sri Lanka have implemented new activities as a result of this study tour, including training and awareness raising workshops.
Disability partners in Sri Lanka have been more focused on mobilising people with disabilities in the community where they work.
