EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY ETHIOPIA

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

• The goal of the project is to achieve the principle of education for all 2015 G.C the target group of the project in the five years is about eleven thousand disable children will be the direct beneficiary. 
• A number of people will also be the indirect beneficiary.
• One hundred non formal special education for visually and hearing impairment formed at the compound of different zonal and woreda level school compound 
• Home to home education for awareness creation- providing training of computer for disable workers supplementary basic family planning HIV/AIDS and other related trainings.
• Importing special materials for disabilities and open a centre of production for the special materials 
• Adult literacy for disabilities to read and write. The project is depending on the voluntarisms and their power will be capacitated

Introduction

Currently Ethiopia is struggling to reduce the deep rooted condition of poverty by introducing a policy of quick progressive change of development for the whole people of the country.

However people who are found in the low living condition especially disabilities are not yet become beneficiary of the intended policy of rapier development plan.

It is believed that among the whole number of population of 10% of them are disabilities, according to census of 1997E.C so the millennium goal 2015 will be effective if and only if disabilities are becoming participatory and beneficiary from the plan of the countries development. The project may not cover to benefit all disabilities in the region, but it is limited to some disabilities training basic brail system and sign language in the newly established non formal schools.

The training centers are located in the governmental school compound being managed and controlled by fifty trained teachers assigned at different zones and woredas in the region by equipping them with especial materials locally manufactured stylus and writing frames.

The project has a mission to accomplish the goal of “Education for All” in order to solve the multi dimensional challenges of disabilities therefore for the practical implementation of the project, the support of volunteers NGO and GO will have significant role by looking in to the detail and Depth of the project will expect good response.

The Implementer of the Project

This project is belonging to the association of education and training service for disabilities South Ethiopia Hawassa. The association working areas will be to the selected fifty special education Training schools located in the five zones, six special woredas and two towns of the southern regions.

The association office is found at central town administration Kebele 1/07 in the previous compound of OMO Micro finance Hawssa

P.O. Box 751
South Ethiopia
Hawassa

Tel +251-0462203687
Fax +251-0462203687

E-mail: contact@aetsd.org.et

Agents of the Project
Tsehaynew Ademe G/Hiwot……. Manager of the Association
Address: - Mobile No. 0916105259
E-mail: tsehainewademe@yahoo.com

Estifanos Nega …………V/Manager of the Association
Mobile No 0916450773
0910088263
E-mail: aetsdest@gmail.com

Significance of the project

The importance of the project is for many and complicated actions it is possible to mention some. In any country, citizens are respected because they are not only as a citizen also as human beings. According to the declaration of the united nation of children women and disabilities, our country Ethiopia had ratified and accepted to make them part of the rules and regulations to promoteprevent the developmental activities of women’s children and disabilities.

Since the convention for disabilities was ratified recently, there is no remarkable and meaning full activity performed to promote the interests and rights of disabilities. Many persons with disability are found in different problematic situations due to the community lack of awareness majority of disabilities are exposed begging around churches, Mosques and main streets.
Even some families have hidden their children at home closing all access of health and education services so disabilities are exposed to mental physical influences.

Few disabilities are gained an opportunity to learn and it is not easy to attain equally with other colleagues. Those disabilities especially Visually Impaired, hearing, Physical handicapped and mental retarded children’s couldn’t get an access of help in modern technology and special materials

The brail text book are also not distributed in their schools there is no well trained teachers who can teach the people with hearing impairment to interpret the lesson in sign language. So hearing and instrument and sign language interpreter with regard to physical handicapped the topography of the land absence of ramp at every classes, wheelchair and other useful materials have shortage and created big burden for effective and successful education.

So there is no doubt that this project is very necessary to bring all disabilities become the beneficiary of quality education for disability children and women

By agitating and up grading the awareness of the people children with disabilities should get the suitable environment for quality education. In addition dishabilles should actively participant in the inclusive education policy around their villages. Side by side they also involve in the social and economic services for the building of their capacity to be an independent and confident productive citizens it is also expected that their families as well as their country will be at most gaining useful roles in facilitating the growth of development.

The widens and complexity of the area of the problem increasing the number of customer disabilities and the approaching of education for all goal of 2015 are totally indicate that the project is important.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT

The major goal of the project is to create conducive environment of learning education for disability children and becoming an independent productive citizen for their country’s sustainable development.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

• To expand the brail and sign language skill for illiterate children with disability
• To provide Mobility training for visually impaired parsons and physical handicapped children
• Giving the training sill of brail and sign language for the candidate graduating teachers at every colleges
• Arranging possible ways for the disable children to obtain special education materials
• To build a center which is used for the disable children to read and suitable access of modern information to increase the good quality of the training and employed brail and sign language trainers and additional assistance workers
• By giving special attention for female children, it will be facilitated community conversation programs for preventing harmful practices like Genital Mutilation etc.

COVERING AREAS OF THE PROJECT

BACKGROUND OF THE ASSOCIATION

This project is prepared by the Association of Education and Training Service for Disabilities South Ethiopia Hawassa --the back ground and basic activities performed will be discussed in the following manner.

First the Organization came in to reality by the two initiative volunteer individuals at the place of Hawassa teachers training compound.

It was in May 2010 that the vision of the association created in the mind of the founder and manager of the association. His name was Tsehaynew Ademe Gebrehiwot who was born at a particular place called Debark in Gonder North Ethiopia on 18, June 1985G.C He was normally for five years but at the age of five he lost his sight and his families begun to treat him by the traditional way of education. There was a harmful practice among the communities cutting the covering skin or eyelashes of the patient and immediately bleeding follows which made the two eyes unable to see any kind of picture or light.

Since the area was rural there was no modern means of medication except religiously Holly water and asking the village elders and wizards. Then he joined to the church education and began to learn alphabet orally.

The elder brother was educated and solder here about the blindness of his brother and then he took to the nearby chechela hospital for further investigation. But the chance of seeing was not possible. So the coming alternative was finding school for the blind to start education in brail. First, Tsehaynew inters to back school for the blind and successfully learned up to grade four from grade four up to ten he continued to learn at wolita sodo in the southern region of Ethiopia. From Grade one up to Ten He had passed in Good ranks and scored percent 94% result in grade eight. He also scored 3.4 and enables him to join in Hawassa College of teacher’s education.

The boarding school of oromia region Bako and Ottona of wolayita sodo are well equipped by special materials coming from CBM and German organization. So there was no problem in attending education after learning up to grade six he was forced to be integrated with other non blind students there are some brail text books and his friends were good in organizing and preparing notes. The most difficult challenges he faced was when he joined to the higher education with no service provided to equally accommodate the visually impaired students with the necessary special educational material support. In the college compound the type of the problem was multi dimensional which are complicated and full of risk in order to graduate peacefully.

Some of the critical challenges where luck of books transcribed in brail, absence of library computer and other helpful learning aids.
Even the most challenge was luck of awareness among the college teachers specially how to support and handle exceptional persons with disabilities. Examinations were also given by the assigned reader at every corridor which does not have silence.

In short, the above challenges entail that some mechanisms should be introduced for the coming generation in order to create conducive environment. Of good quality education for disabilities.

The manager and the v-manager Estifanos Are Learning in Hawassa college of Teacher’s training; they attempted to organize a club called a volunteer support provision for persons with disabilities. The development of the club was progressive and registered more than sixty graduating college students as volunteer membership. In addition to this

The v-manager estifanos nega he innovate the blind writing materials slate and styles at the first time in Ethiopia, he also certified by federal since and technology institute.

The club in the college compound had achieved the following basic activities for example establishing a mini library equipped with three hundred text books, four shelves, three tables, nine chairs and two computers having sound system Installed with Jaws Software. The library helped for visually impaired students of the college to read, Listen and study their courses.

The club attempted to introduce Jaws Technology for visually impaired teachers working in different Governmental schools. This short training was sponsored by Cheshier service Hawassa Branch in collaboration with the college ICT teachers. Are

The club’s big activity was manifested in the program of inclusive education mainly providing the brail system and sign language training skills for all members of the club. In addition the members were also lucky in obtaining community conversation training on HIV/AIDS for seven days(One week) . The skill training especially after they had completed their trainings there was a meeting prepared for awareness creation activities. Members of the club finally acquired wide range of skills and perception about the general concept of disabilities and the methods of supporting them during their learning at schools the conference has also paved the way for journalists and high ranking governmental officials including the college administrators to grasp good understandings about disabilities In the graduation ceremony of Brail system and sign language, there was a reinforcement Prizes given to the facilitators, trainers and students who score good results. The overall activity of the club was documented properly and a graduation magazine also prepared.

Finally the former collage club had grown in to a regional association having seventy graduated special volunteer teachers who later assigned in different elementary and junior schools.

The association has got a legal personality after it was registered in the justice bureau. Following this association was able to gain the support of office furniture’s, computers, and different documents from different governmental and non governmental institutions recently the association is also member of the SHFON.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION

It has a general assemble of fifty members an advisory board of seven members.

STAFF and MANAGEMENT

The Association will have the following staff members to implement the project

The manager and vice manager will manage the whole project of the association.

The education officer will coordinate the educational activities in all project area.

The health officer will also plan health related activities like organizing HIV/AIDS, HTP and reproductive health training and will give the training for the trainees ,the accountant will perform the financial activities of the project as well the secretary will also carryout the office clerical and additional activities .the driver will give driving service for the Association.

The two guards will safe guard the office and office properties of the association.

Beneficiaries of the Project

Five thousand visually impaired, five thousand hearing and one thousand mentally retarded children. The fifty branch centers of disability non formal schools are the direct beneficiary. It also had a big contribution for the regional disability associations mainly the visually and hearing impaired members. Furthermore governmental educational bureau’s about thirty thousand families of disability, fifty special need teachers are indirect beneficiary.

The Impact of children with Disabilities

Children with disability have been in a great danger which is very complicated and deep rooted. This was caused by bad harmful practices negligence luck of getting an access of technology an so on. To mention some of the challenges were

• un equal treatment of disable children with in their families and depriving them not to go to school for learning
• disable children exposure to social economic cerise
• Female children disabilities because of genital mutilation are being exposed to repetitive problems
• UN equal of using the countries resource and institutions like Health, Education, Provision schools recreational areas and information technology Intern created hapless frustration feelings among the children of disabilities.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT

During the five year stay of the project, the following key tasks will be implemented practically.

• To bring the disable children who attain to learn education.
These tasks contain six zones Sidama, gedio, Kembata Wolayta, Silte, and Hadiya; five special Woredas: Amaro Kelle Burji, Halaba …and two major towns Hawassa and Dilla. According to the population census of 2005 G.C There are about 31371 disable children found in the project covering areas. From this figure around one percent has got the chance to get education. To get the benefit of education for the majority of disable children special non formal classes to train brail system and sign language will be established besides to the governmental schools. This disable children have also get the chance of support with material and finance. After they had completed the duration of their basic special training, they would integrated with the normal non disable children in every governmental schools. The primary facilitators for this activity are teachers who previously acquired special training skills and their school administrator. The target groups of this activity are Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired and Intellectual disorder children. .

• Production and distribution of special materials.
With regard to special materials for instance:- Stylus, Abacus, Writing frames hard
brail papers, Cassette tape recorders, hearing devices, CD, Wheel chair, White stick Eye
Glasses (Spectacles) and other helpful materials. The association collects the above materials directly by producing with them with local materials with in the region and by importing the materials directly from abroad. Then the materials will be distributed to all branch centers of the project proportionally.

• Giving basic computer training skill.
Up to date computer technology training skill is very crucial for disabilities to capacitate and empower their potential to make them efficient and independent on their work. The training will give much emphasizes for visually and hearing impaired persons especially for students and workers.

• To Offer up to date Training skills and scholar ship
To encourage the volunteerism and enrich the disable children, their families and other stake holders with up to date information: especially on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and family planning, Life skill Leadership, Monitoring and Evaluation, Brail and Sign Language….. Etc.

• Income generating Activities
The disable children families and the branch training centers are supported with business training and Sid many capital to strengthen them economically further the disable children will become the indirect beneficial and they gain a conducive atmosphere to upgrade their level of education.

Project Implementation strategy

To put this project in to effect it has to follow the following steps: ¬-

• Using those disabilities at higher position for advocacy

• In the different held meeting stages, a governmental high rank officials individuals working on commercial activities would be invited to advocate for the audiences. They also give responses for the questions raised by the community about the issues related to disabilities and their families as a guest respect persons and it will inspire bright feature

• Forming network with other concerned stake holders. A hierarchy from the top level of regional education bureau up to the grass root level of woreda Educational bureau will have linkage with the activity of the project. House to house counseling of Disable children will also be carried out

• Encouraging and strengthening Voluntarism work

• There are ten young volunteer individuals who are giving the training skill of Braille and sign language, the five executive committees working as facilitators and the seven board members also give the training service especially awareness creation on various issues in relation to disability conventions and other legislations. All transport and related expenses of volunteers will be covered by the Association. Different organizations would be sharing the benefit of getting experiences and a visit trip will be arranged annually. The backbones to the implementation of the project are volunteer persons of the association. So that, they would obtain up to date skill training and various workshops through visiting the historical places. In addition to this, letter of appreciation and certificate and chance of getting scholarship for further education would be arranged. Building the capacity of social institutions and creating good cooperation:

• First, efforts should be made to bring great influence change on regional education bureau, regional health bureau and other concerned bodies. A smooth networking would be stretched from the top up to the lower level of each institution.

• Each branch training centers should take hold the activity of advocacy to change the attitude of the community and finally they are expected to make ready a compiled report.

• House to house counseling service:

• A large scale of community mobilization is determinant because the disable children by the help of volunteers members. Each volunteer at least will have the responsibility to reach more than thirty families to gather the disable children to the nearby established special non formal school centers. The acquisition of knowledge and experiences enabled to prevent the immediate causes of bending disabled.

• Arranging the community conversation:

• Coffee ceremony is widely accepted by the people in sharing numerous ideas among themselves. Using this condition, as a good opportunity, in the coffee ceremony discussion, drama, film, posters, pamphlets will be distributed to raise community awareness about disabilities. On the other hand, the non disable persons attitude would be improved and commence to recognize the position of respect of the disabilities.

The expected result of the project:

The project has the following main outcomes.

1. accessing 5000 visually impaired as well as 5000 hearing impaired persons integrated with other non disable children in regular school;

2. well organized one hundred non formal special training centers establishment in the region;

3. attitudinal change of 200000 people upon disabilities;

4. a large number of the community would know Braille and sign language skills;

5. a lot of volunteer individuals would be created

6. 200 families of the disabilities would become economically empowered;

7. 150 visually and 150 hearing impaired persons would be beneficiary on computer technology.

8. Few number of association members would get the chance of scholarship.

Implementation period:

Project Sustainability

The sustainability of the project is assured by the following reasons.

To begin with committees Members of the association and trainers are recruited and selected through their interests and willingness.

• While the trainers stay at college they were lucky to get the basic skill training of Braille system, sign language and community conversation in relation to HIV/AIDS

• The trainers are directly Governmental permanent employees assigned in the five zones and special woredas

• The project goal is strongly linked with the current inclusive education policy accommodating disabilities having special need to their eyes and ears

• The project also coincided with the plan of Ministry of education which is recently to establish five hundred Non formal center for disability training

• All special materials will be available and each school takes the area of responsibility to implement the work as a major task.
Monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring is a system in which one project is measured according to its scope time and place. In the monitoring of the project activity the association uses the following instruments such as different material and financial receipt of the association:-

• Number of the beneficiaries according to quantity, quality age and sex

• Assessment study in the field work

• Photos and Video documents

• Comments collected from the beneficiary and concerned stack holders

• Monthly quarterly and yearly collected reports from each site.

Budget of the Project

This five year project needs 35,000,000 (thirty five million ) birr among this total budget of birr 28,000,000 will be expected from external donors and the rest 5,000,000 birr from Ethiopian government and the remaining 2,000,000 birr will be covered by volunteers and communities.