Karagwe Community Based Rehabilitation Program (KCBRP)

Description

KCBRP is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that renders services to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and their organizations in Tanzania. The organization started its work in 2004 as a department of the Anglican Diocese of Kagera that promoted Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) but has over the years grown both geographically and thematically. In 2012, KCBRP registered itself under the NGO Act of 2002 as a national NGO with a mandate to work in the entire country. KCBRP understands that it is likely to achieve more by working collaboratively with complementary partners, both State and Non-State Actors (NSAs). We have to date worked with and through over 30 Partner Organizations (POs) and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs) spread across several regions of Tanzania. KCBRP continues to play a collaborative leadership role in several Networks and Alliances, in Tanzania, and Africa in general. Further, the organization partners with several complementary international organizations to enable greater reach and scaling of impact.

For detailed explanation visit our website www.kcbrp.org 

Our vision 

An inclusive society where persons with disabilities enjoy their full rights and attain full potential.

Our mission

To champion the rights, empowerment and wellbeing of persons with disabilities through advocacy, capacity building and linking.

Our Strategy

1.      Community Based Rehabilitation/Community Based Inclusive Development

KCBRP understands that Children develop with a number of Health, Educational, Economic and Social needs. A broad approach to addressing these needs is therefore essential. We call this holistic approach. Working with and through local pro-disability entities, KCBRP has over the years persuaded a Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) approach to enabling disability inclusive development at grassroots levels

2.      Child Development Strategy: We ensure that the functioning of a child is improved through a number of interventions such as therapies, surgery or training

3.      Child Empowerment Strategy: Together with our Partner organizations we develop and implement interventions which address environmental barriers which prevent children from participating equally in the community. The example of these barriers are negative attitudes, inaccessible facilities and unfriendly policies .We contribute to this change through awareness raising, infrastructural adjustments and through lobby and advocacy

4.      Human Rights-based Approach: KCBRP pursues a human rights-based approach in all its development undertakings. Our work is anchored in the constitution of Tanzania, Sustainable Development Goals 2030-Agenda, AU’s Agenda 2063 and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The rights of PWDs are acknowledged by various laws and policies in Tanzania. The GoT has also developed a number of legislative and policy steps that indicate commitment to advancing the rights of PWDs. The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2010 for instance provides for healthcare, social support, accessibility, rehabilitation, education and vocational training, employment and promotion of basic rights of PWDs. The Employment and Labor Relations Act, 2004 on its part for instance forbids termination of employment on the basis of disability, while Children’s Act 2009 discourages discrimination of children based on disability. Tanzania has also ratified various international instruments that advance the rights of PWDs.

5.      African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the East African Policy on Persons with Disabilities 2012.The Prime Minister’s Office is the main institution concerned with disability. Others are the Ministries of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training; Labour, Youth, Employment and People with Disabilities, Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children; and the President's office. Separately, Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) and the Community Health Fund (CHF) offer social security support to disadvantaged groups of which PWDs is one.It is however noteworthy that while disability focused regulatory framework exists, operationalization of the same linked to poor resourcing, weak institutional capacities, political interference, corruption and insufficient civic engagement slows down progress. Similarly, there are significant gaps in turning political commitments to global protocols and treaties into rights-based policies and practice.