Living disability with dignity (Por una vida digna en la discapacidad)

Background

The Ministry of Social Protection provides minimum benefits for disabled persons over 18 years of age. This does not include minors.

Objective

To improve the life conditions of children with mental and/or physical disabilities, and their families, in Pasto (southern Colombia)

Activities

• Appropriate therapies: purchase of resources for therapies (balls, walkers, stretchers, splint); therapists visiting disabled children home to carry out physical and mental exercise (transport of therapist to the patient’s home)

• Improvement of family income: parents taking part in productive activities (pig and guinea pig breeding, sale of chicken, yogurt and avocados).

• Information and Workshops addressed to parents: information meetings where social workers and therapists present the rights that disabled children have (welfare orientation, social benefits for medicines, transport, etc.;  local institutions); description of the different pathologies and how to handle them; values in life; healthy food; hygiene, Fair Trade products. 

• Improvement of accommodation conditions.

Outcomes

• Parents are informed of their rights and possible social benefits they can apply for the improvement of their disabled children’s lives (they are made aware of the institutions they can approach to address their requests).

• Disabled children have improved their physical and mental conditions.

• Solidarity has strengthened families in similar conditions

• Following parents’ request, a number of children have been enrolled in therapy covered by the state in centres where very specific resources are available for their therapies.

• Enthusiasm among families increased: a group of children learnt indigenous dances and presented their show at a local event.

• Local solidarity increased:  a new organisation appeared to support disabled children and their families.

Comentarios adicionales :

A number of families did not respond to the project, they did not commit to therapies and workshops. They left the project, new families took their places. 

Personas a las que se presta asistencia : Children and Young People

Grupo de edad : Children 0-17, Young people 18-25

Número de participantes : mai-50

Estado del proyecto : Completed

Presencia en la Sociedad : Colombia

Objetivo del proyecto : People

Imperativo de JPIC : Transformar y ser transformades

Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas :