Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion - Mano River Program

"I never knew the difference between impairment and disability before this training. I thought people using aid devices like wheelchairs, earpieces, and crutches were all living with disabilities. Now, I understand that these devices help manage functional limitations of the body. People with physical, intellectual, or emotional impairments can thrive within their communities if barriers are removed.

As a Community Health Worker (CHO), this training has shown me the importance of prioritizing people with various impairments in my work to enhance their participation and promote inclusion. I will ensure that my colleagues gain knowledge on disability inclusion through awareness-raising efforts. Discrimination has no place in our community; disability is a part of human diversity," said Aminata, a CHO from Kuntorloh community.

Aminata expressed her gratitude to Humanity & Inclusion (HI) and UNICEF for facilitating an outstanding two-day training on May 30th and 31st, 2024, focused on Disability Assessment and Determination (DAD) tools at Kingdom Hall in Freetown.

Through the DAD project, HI delivered the training to five members of the 25-chiefdom assessment team (CAT) to prepare them for cognitive testing of the DAD tools. The training aimed to enhance participants' understanding of disability inclusion, HI's safeguarding policies, and data collection ethics, ensuring they can effectively conduct cognitive testing and interact professionally with beneficiaries and community members.

The DAD tools, developed by various multi-stakeholders working with persons with disabilities, are now ready for testing. The trained CAT members will conduct cognitive testing on these tools with 100 persons with disabilities in the Western Area.

Thanks to UNICEF, and the Ministry of Health for this initiative.