Approximately 16% of Ugandan children live with a disability and face inadequate access to servies, information and resources. Soft Power Education (SPE) has worked with families across Jinja district for more that ten years providing free of charge physiotherapy and occupational therapy for children with disabilities.

Now entering it’s third year of funding with the ALMT, this project will provide at least two therapy sessions each month for 100 children with disabilities at clinics across the district. Fifty six children will also receive assistive resources to help with their therapy such as wheelchairs or other mobility supports.

For some of these children the aim is to provide them with quality of life through maintenance of their existing condition; for others their long term prognosis is not favourable and therapy aims to make life more comfortable. All the children on the programme work towards specific therapy goals which may be as simple as being able to hold a cup without support. Each target has an enormous impact on the family and parents are encouraged to be actively involved in working towards these goals.

For many families community isolation and lack of income are the biggest barriers to accessing care for their children. This year SPE will also offer training workshops for 200 parents/ carers which aim to reduce isolation, support and improve their understanding of specific disabilities and empower them to provide better care for their child.

In addition this year 15 parents will have the opportunity to attend training in an income generation programme with existing partner organisation BISS Bakeries. This programme aims to increase the household income making it easier for parents to improve children’s quality of life.