Community-based inclusive development (CBID) has its roots in Community based Rehabilitation (CBR) which is defined as “a strategy within general community development for the rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities and social inclusion of all people with disabilities.

CBID is the goal or end result to be achieved, while CBR is the strategy to reach the goal. The aim is to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of community life and have full access to all facilities and services.

In a bid to promote inclusion of persons with disability based on United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disability (UNCRPD) and the sustainability development goals (SDGs) 2030, The community based inclusive unit of the organization in 2019-2020 implemented a CBID pilot project in Awgu and Aninri Local Government Areas (LGA)of Enugu State. The project is tilted “Enhancing Social Inclusion of Persons with Disability in Southern Nigeria”. The project is funded by German Leprosy & TB Relief Association Germany and implemented through the local chapters of the Joint National Association of persons with disability (JONAPWD) in the 2 LGAs with support from 10 volunteers from the 2 LGAs who were trained as community based inclusive development field workers to support JONAPWD in implementation of the activities. The project conducted a study on profiling of persons with disability (PWD) and identifying the barriers to social inclusion among persons with disability in the 2 LGAs. The study objectives were:

  1. To determine the prevalence of disability in Awgu and Aninri Local Government Areas.
  2. To determine the forms and ascertain the cause of disability among persons with disability.
  3. To identify the barriers to disability inclusion for persons with disability.
  4. To assess the type of assistive devices used by persons with disability.
  5. To determine the unmet needs of persons with disability.
  6. To determine the attitude of community members towards persons with disability.
  7. To determine factors affecting employment among persons with disability.
  8. To determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety among persons with disability
  9. To determine the quality of life of persons with disability

The project outcomes include:

  1. To carry out survey of PWDs to identify their needs, opportunities and threats to social inclusion in Awgu and Aninri (5 communities).
  2. To strengthen the capacity of JONAPWD/IDEA to promote their rights and social inclusion in Awgu and Aninri LGAs.
  3. To build capacity of selected PWDs through on- the- job training/internship in DAHW for skills on grant proposal writing to access funding opportunities, management of social media platforms and also acquire skills for gainful employment in future.
The CBID project major activities include:
  1. Survey of persons with disability in10 selected communities in Awgu and Aninri Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State.
  2. Advocacy to community stakeholders for social inclusion of PWDs in the communities
  3. Community sensitization and awareness creation on disability issues, rights of PWDs, their social inclusion and discrimination against PWDs in the communities.
  4. Strengthening of local chapters of JONAPWD in the 2 LGAs.
  5. Capacity building of JONAPWD representatives on grant proposal writing to access funding opportunities for the association in Enugu state. Two qualified JONAPWD members were engaged as interns for the activity.
  6. Training of JONAPWD executives and members on the rights of PWDs in the 2 LGAs.

CBID unit through support from DAHW and donations provides assistive devices for persons with disability and elderly persons affected by leprosy who live in the leprosy centers in Southern Nigeria. Download the CBID Factsheet here

INTEGRATED APPROACH

From the very beginning, RedAid Nigeria has followed an integrated approach in its project work, focusing equally on medical and social aspects. Because health is a cross-cutting issue and cannot be viewed in isolation from human living conditions!

If our vision of a world free of poverty-related diseases is to come true, government and non-government programs must not focus solely on the diseases themselves. This vertical approach also offers advantages, because the prioritization enables the targeted design of the measures (which has proven itself with the "big three" malaria, tuberculosis and HIV). But the complex relationship between the neglect of diseases (NTDs) and certain groups of people requires cross-sectoral (horizontal) and holistic (holistic) concepts.

These focus on people and include the determinants of health such as living and working conditions as well as biological, socio-economic, cultural and ecological factors. In concrete terms, this means that the health problems of billions of people around the world must be tackled at their roots and the (main) causes of illness must be tackled systematically and sustainably. First and foremost, it is poverty that makes people sick, and with it poor nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). We are therefore implementing many measures in this area today. In addition, our awareness-raising and educational work is a central component of the RedAid projects to provide people with prevention options, counteract the stigmatization of those affected and improve career opportunities.

In the case of zoonoses such as Chagas , Buruli ulcer or tuberculosis - infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans - we want to increasingly rely on the interdisciplinary approach "One Health", with actors from human, veterinary and Environmental sciences collaborate. In addition, the transversal “empowerment” sector is playing an increasingly important role: the empowerment or self-empowerment of people on an individual, community and national level.

Above all, the aim is to ensure that people are informed about health services and can avail themselves of necessary medical services without running into financial hardship. This is the concept of "Universal Health Coverage" (UHC) of the WHO, which was included in the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations as one of 17 sustainability goals. Everyone should have access to high-quality and affordable health services and - in the event of illness - receive social benefits.

Use synergies

In the control and treatment of cutaneous (skin-related) NTDs such as leprosy, Buruli ulcer , lymphatic filariasis and yaws (Yaws) RedAid follows in Nigeria the integrated approach of WHO to as many synergies in prevention, diagnosis to use treatment and rehabilitation. For example, in our educational work and case search, we combine these skin NTDs with other skin diseases, which lowers the stigma-related inhibition threshold among the population and reaches more people.