Sightsavers Tanzania paving the way for people with disabilities

As Tanzania joins the world to commemorate the Day of Persons with Disabilities today, there is a need for the Tanzanian government to fast-track the process to ratify and sign the African Disabilities Protocol (ADB).

ADB is a legal framework that helps African Union member states create disability laws and policies aimed at promoting the rights of people with disabilities based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Sightsavers Country Director, Godwin Kabalika, says Tanzania is among 15 African countries that have expressed interest in signing the protocol.

He notes that ADB will continue to strengthen the good work being done by Tanzania in terms of empowering people with disabilities.

Sightsavers is an international charity that works in different countries, including Tanzania, to prevent avoidable blindness and promote equality for people with disabilities.

In Tanzania, Sightsavers works with governments and local organisations and makes sure everyone can access health care.

“Tanzania is doing great work in empowering people with disabilities, with the review of the 2004 disability policy being one of the key initiatives. I am also urging for a faster policy review to support its implementation in various sectors, particularly in the area of employment for people with disabilities in Tanzania,” says Mr Kabalika.

He says the policy instructs employers to consider hiring people with disabilities and specifies that 3 percent of employees in a company of 20 or more must be individuals with disabilities.

However, he notes that this provision is not being effectively implemented.

"It is time for authorities to pay close attention to this percentage and ensure that employers hire people with disabilities. They should also create a welcoming environment that allows individuals with disabilities to thrive in the workplace and actively contribute,” says Mr Kabalika.

He further notes that this should be accompanied by making the disability budget more responsive, as the current allocation of Sh1 billion is insufficient to meet the needs of people with disabilities across all sectors in the country.

Commenting on this year’s theme, Increase Leadership for Persons with Disabilities for Inclusion and a Sustainable Future, Programme Officer at Sightsavers, Magdalena Focus, says this year’s theme for Tanzania is meant to promote leadership opportunities to ensure the voices of people with disabilities are heard in decision-making processes.

Magdalena notes that Sightsavers Tanzania has implemented some projects to empower persons with disabilities, including the Economic Empowerment (EE) Project, a two-year (2023-2024) pilot project funded by Sightsavers internal resources.

The overall goal of the project is to enhance proportionate access to formal employment (including self-employment) and inclusion in the workplace for people with disabilities.

“The project has boosted confidence, created employment opportunities and fostered self-employment and entrepreneurship among 332 persons with disabilities. This project has not only provided financial independence but also enhanced the social inclusion of participants,” says Magdalena.

Daima Peter, a resident of Dar es Salaam living with a disability, is one of the beneficiaries who received training in self-employment.

She say she was trained on how to brand and market her business online. She produces spices and nutritious flour for porridge.

“Through the training I have been able to learn how to communicate effectively with my clients, both physically and online. As we speak, I have clients in Kisumu, and my market is expanding day by day,” says Daima.

Sightsavers have supported her with a machine to blend the spices. It was not easy in the beginning as she had no machine to produce enough products for sale.

In the meantime, she also attends different exhibitions to showcase her work.

The Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme Manager at Sightsavers Tanzania is Peter Kivumbi.

He says Tanzania is focusing on the five preventive chemotherapy diseases that can be cured or prevented.

The diseases are trachoma, river blindness, schistosomiasis, intestinal worms, and lymphatic filariasis.

He explains that the organisation runs a three-year initiative known as the Trachoma Elimination Programme, which is funded by the International Trachoma Initiative through the Avoidable Blindness Fund.

The project is implemented in five districts of Coast and Lindi regions, including Kibaha, Chalinze, Bagamoyo, Ruangwa, and Nachingwea.

He says, as Tanzania commemorates the Persons with Disabilities Day, it is important for the community not to lock or hide those family members with disabilities, as it leads to more stigma and denies them their rights.

“With the Trachoma project, we encounter cases of refusal, where some family members prevent us from treating individuals with disabilities for unclear reasons. While the government and development partners are working together to ensure we provide the appropriate services, some community members are hindering our efforts,” says Peter.

He said Sightsavers had previously implemented a similar trachoma project in the Coast and Lindi regions.

Despite efforts in previous years, trachoma remained a significant public health issue, which is why the organisation returned to those regions to continue the project.

To make the approach more practical, they trained community health workers on recognising trachoma symptoms and providing counselling to patients.

This has enabled Sightsavers to identify trachoma patients in villages through a door-to-door screening initiative, targeting individuals aged 15 and above.

He explained that once patients are identified and surgery appointments are scheduled, they are typically picked up from their homes and transported to the surgery camp, eliminating the transport barrier.

“We are pleased to have reached 1,059 patients, and we expect to treat approximately 3,402 people. We cover all the treatment costs,” says Peter.

The Economic Empowerment Project Lead at Sightsavers, Sabina Maheke, says the project has identified and enrolled 240 participants through government structures, communities and organisations of persons with disabilities and the Tanzania Vocational Education Training Centre.

The project has also provided training to 240 participants on safeguarding, trained 240 participants on employability and entrepreneurship, trained 209 (including 35 with farmers disabilities) and enrolled them into a mentorship programme to boost their confidence and enhance their employability skills.

She further notes that the project outcomes for 2023/2024 include both women and men with disabilities actively participating in waged employment, self-employment, and business development opportunities.

21 youth with disabilities have secured employment, and 27 participants with disabilities have started new businesses, while over 25 participants have improved their businesses.

35 farmers with disabilities were enrolled in the value chain activities through the farmer hub.

Other outcomes are the linkage of 65 participants into mentorship and coaching to enhance their skills; 30 entrepreneurs with disabilities will be supported with start-up kits (including sewing machines, fridges, shop items, shoe-making machines, soap, and tie-dye materials, etc).