Implementing Partner: Handicap International (HI) France

Funding Period: April 2009 - March 2012

Amount: $999,647

Purpose: Contribute to the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic life in three West African countries

Project Components

• Conduct outreach activities to ensure that products and services will be known within each country
• Include all national stakeholders in the conception of a general situation report
• Train rehabilitation workers in wheelchair prescription and fitting
• Train a cadres of healthcare system workers on a referral wheelchair network
• Promote the elaboration of a national policy on wheelchair provision
• Support local workshops to assemble imported products and improve their manufacturing

The “West African Mobility Initiative” project contributes to the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic life in three West African countries. The exclusion of people with disabilities within the communities often comes from lack of mobility and, especially, a lack of mobility devices. Therefore, this project reinforces wheelchair services by providing training to healthcare staff and giving them other means to acquire information. Wheelchairs will be distributed to 1,100 beneficiaries among those in need, with an emphasis on including significant numbers of rural women and girls. Seven workshops are being strengthened to provide quality services to the target population. Finally, more than 7,000 people will benefit from lobbying and sensitization activities.