Annual report 2009 - Handicap International

xz DevelopmentIntensified and more inclusiveactionHandicap International continued to shift the focus of its development activitiestowards Africa in 2009. At the same time, it extended its inclusive approach byintensifying its efforts to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities on all thecontinents, particularly in the fields of education, local development and disasterpreparedness and prevention.The association increased its development activities bymore than 10% in 2009. Despite the uncertainty surroundingcertain types of funding, Handicap Internationalwas able to fulfil its commitments in Burundi, Ethiopiaand Madagascar. The programme reviews carried out to determinean operational framework for each country over thenext three to four years illustrate the association’s determinationto press ahead with its work. The heightened instabilityin Sudan did not discourage Handicap International fromworking in a region where it is extremely difficult to operate.In West Africa, rehabilitation actions were identified and studiesconducted in Benin for launching new activities in 2010.xz Areas of activityRehabilitationWhether they concern orthopaedics or rehabilitation techniques,all our projects focus on training and supportinglocal operators, including health professionals, communityofficers and families. Among the innovations in 2009, aprogramme was launched simultaneously in five countries(Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, Cambodia and Nepal)to study ways of ensuring the sustainability of rehabilitationservices and the factors likely to foster their ownership bylocal authorities. In West Africa, another regional project hasfocused, since 2009, on including the prescription of wheelchairsas part of the overall case-management of peoplewith disabilities.Countries: in 2009, a rehabilitation project was organisedin almost all the countries in which the association operates.HealthIn other health-related fields, 36 projects were organisedin 21 countries in 2009, covering prevention and the treatmentand support of patients. AIDS is still a major problemworld-wide, and many projects were implemented to promoteaccess to care for people living with HIV, especiallythose with disabilities. Specific actions focusing on disablingdiseases such as diabetes, lymphatic filariasis and Buruliulcer were organised to raise the awareness of local populationsand to improve the care offered both in the communityand by health services. The association’s mental healthprogrammes focused on populations affected by armedconflict. Lastly, three projects were set up focusing on gender-basedviolence.Countries: Algeria x Bangladesh x Burkina Faso x Burundi xCambodia x Ethiopia x India x Kenya x Lebanon x Madagascarx Mali x Mozambique x Nicaragua x Philippines x Rwanda xSenegal x Somaliland x Tanzania x Thailand x Togo x Vietnam.InclusionThe association’s inclusion actions focused on three keyareas: access to education, social inclusion and economicinclusion. In 2009, Handicap International’s teams workingin the inclusive education sector in Africa developed activitiesdesigned to promote access to education for childrenwith disabilities and to raise the awareness of students todiversity issues. Handicap International also launched a “Microfinancefor all” campaign as part of its efforts to improveaccess to economic activity for people with disabilities byensuring they are taken into consideration by microcreditorganisations.Personalised support now forms the foundation of all of ourinclusion actions.A lesson-learning document was also produced, compilingthe association’s expertise on this subject.Countries: Afghanistan x Algeria x Bangladesh x BurkinaFaso x Burundi x Cambodia x Indonesia x Madagascar x10 ı Annual report 2009