CBM out to alleviate people with disabilities in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Students with disabilities in schools and those in need of hospital care are likely to find great relief after the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) organization outlined strategies to alleviate the group from huge suffering.

The NGO has been working with partners in Tanzania since the 1960s, preventing blindness, improving health and helping people with disabilities go to school, earn a living, access health care/rehabilitation and secure respect in their communities.

Speaking to The Citizen on Monday April4 Dr Rainer Brockhaus, chief executive officer of the German-based organization after visiting Tanzania for the first time said Tanzania has a chance to end the challenges facing people with disabilities.

This comes at a time when although there has been an inclusive education system in the country, the biggest challenge has been the availability of learning materials as well as the ease of those students attending classes.

"We have been very anxious to serve these students because of the lack of learning materials depending on the student's situation, this is still a problem even though the government has been trying to distribute materials," said Mr Husein Husein, a teacher  at Chazungwa Primary School, Mpwapwa district in Dodoma region.

The situation has also been seen in some hospitals, especially in rural areas, where facilities for the disabled have been a major challenge.

Dr Brockhaus noted that CBM’s goal was to contribute to a world rich in all persons with or without disabilities who have the same rights, opportunities and really can give out their full potential as human beings.

“We want to also see this happening in Tanzania. We cannot guarantee this at the world level and fail to achieve this here in Tanzania especially in the communities in which we are active,” he said.

"We do not want to end up at the national level when individuals with disabilities within the community continue to be stigmatized and lack basic necessities. We must continue to work with our donors to ensure this,” he further explained.

For her part, Nesia Mahenge, country director CBM-Tanzania, said the leading International Development Organization on Disability and Inclusion Initiatives was building a specialized eye hospital in collaboration with Bugando medical centre in Mwanza to support the group in the lake region.

"The main areas we work with stakeholders are community based inclusive development, inclusive eye health services and also the government in providing services to people with disabilities in Tanzania," she said.