Every child deserves an equal chance

problem: In a limited community investigation, it was discovered more than 2000 people including more than 300 children and youth that have serious birth defects causing physical disabilities

Solution: To continue to identify the children and youth with the physical disabilities and to work with the local hospital arrange and to pay for corrective surgeries, physical therapy and mobility equipment to enable easier living conditions.  For youth with disabilities, some are provided with occupational training and equipment and supplies to enable a productive life and to be self supporting.

Changes:  The most important change is the corrective surgery which enables acceptance in the community, easier access to education.  Completion of occupational training enables a more normal life and to be self supporting.

The problem is locating and successfully changing the lives of children born with physical disabilities into children with a new possibilities in their lives.  In only two local districts, minimal investigation identified over 2000 persons including 300 children with physical disabilities that affected how they lived. 

The major factors for these birth defects are severe poverty and food insecurity and lack of medical treatments for the pregnant mother.  

Many parents believe that the deformities causing birth defects are a result of witchcraft or a punishment for their lifestyle. Education is needed to overcome these beliefs but financial assistance it needed for the surgeries physical therapy and occupational training.  

The solution is to work with the local disability program to identify the children with the serious disabilities, work with the hospital to schedule surgeries when the expert surgeon is able to make the yearly surgical visit and then provide opportunities for occupational training and equipment for personal use to be self supporting

Currently the disability program serves a small area or two regions but is planning to expand into the district with a population of 200,000.

The current program is set up with managers, public health worker, therapists and the medical staff at the hospital

The occupational therapy center is already established and is available to train people with disabilities and to provide mobility equipment

The Challenge relates to the situations of children and methods and processes to provide education possibilities that will change their lives.

We believe that our plans and program no only provides educational opportunities for children, but  targets the children with disabilities, provides life changing surgeries, provides occupational training, and the equipment needed to be self supporting for themselves and their family.

Currently the program is operating but on a limited basis.  During my recent visit to the disability program, I was able to visit with some of the children in needs and I am focusing on providing assistance.  I want to increase the educational opportunities, develop orthopedic equipment and to see success in children growing up to be a part of the community and able to provide for their family

My solution focuses on vulnerable people in society who are many time discriminated against, or hidden out of sight by the family and lack support for educational and occupational opportunities  

Currently the known number of people with disabilities in the servicing area is over 2000 with 300 of this number being children and youth under the age of 18.

If more public health workers are utilized on more villages, the number will greatly increase.

More educational programs and occupational opportunities will be expanded  to accommodate the needs as they become known   

We measure our impact by the number of orthopedic surgeries preformed,  number of children and youth that complete the occupational training and how many business are started and how many people benefit.

I am the volunteer Executive Director for my organization and have no paid staff and 2 volunteers and a Board of Directors.

My counterparts in Tanzania have a staff of 5 in the disability program

I make myself available for these kind of program development and work with the hospital MOI and administrators in Tanzania for the daily implementation

I partner with the expert local staff that are available at the hospital and in the disability program.  They are all Tanzanians and are both men and women.  I want to promote hiring people with disabilities who would understand the needs of other people and children with disabilitiess 

I want to be a part of an organization the values the work of people to help people.  While money is a necessary evil receiving this award would enable a larger exposure to the world community in which we may have common projects and programs to help people less fortunate.

Helping children and youth to overcome their barriers in life is an rewarding experience

In Tanzania, women and girls are often left out.

The prize would enable safe houses for girls to live in why attending school.  This would enable the girls to be free of harassments, both physical and sexual and would enable them to avoid being married off at a young age