Paolina and the children doing puzzle at Sambamba
The Sambamba Project by Call Africa
Call Africa is an NGO organization working in Iringa Region in order to help vulnerable people. The Sambamba Project at Neema Crafts aims to promote the social inclusion of disabled children living in Iringa. The project involves local operators, 8 community workers, a cook, a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist.
About the Centre
The centre opened in 2011, currently hosts 23 children between the ages of 3 and 15 with different types of disability, it is opened 3 days a week from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm and offers a transport service for children with the association’s minibus.
At the project, children get a full meal every day, including breakfast and fruit snack. The aim of rehabilitation centre is to provide physiotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation. The physiotherapist and the occupational therapist make an assessment for each child so that the community workers can subsequently follow the individual programs. It is extremely important to support these children in their daily life. They help to provide information about personal hygiene activities, cognitive stimulation, monetary management, community life, etc.
The Service
The community workers are assisted by the two professionals each week who monitor the progress of each child. For the children who are able to attend school, they are supported into standard education by helping with the removal of architectural barriers.
As well as children, the project also offers a service to families. It is very important to monitor the circumstances outside the centre. The aim is to create a network amongst the users and provide support to parents. The helps to build acceptance and overcome difficulties due to disability.
Focal Points
In 2016, they established 8 'focal' points located in different areas of Iringa to try to reach more children, even those who live in distant villages. The focal point is not a place where the child does therapy alone and then goes back home. It is a place where mothers take their children and stay there with them. They talk to the community workers, learn to do the exercises so they can repeat them at home and then they are able to share and compare with other mothers. This helps to overcome the prejudices towards the child's disability and encourages mothers to support each other at the same time as supporting the children. Our goal here is to laugh together and learn how to play together. Specialists also join these sessions to monitor the progress of the children.
Home Visits
Call Africa also do a home visits service for children that live too far away from any of the centres. The aim is to show parents/caregivers how to do rehabilitation exercises for their children with disabilities during an intensive week. This enables the caregiver to continue to do therapy at home. After the intensive week, parents come back once a month to the centre for one or two days for the check up and for adjustments to the exercises.
Contact Call Africa
E-mail: callafricango@gmail.com
Alessia - Country Representative
Phone: +255(0)621023629