1) Personal Assistant Network (PAN) project
This project aimed at creating an effective network of well-trained personal assistants for persons with disabilities in the North West Region of Cameroon. These personal assistants will take on a variety of roles, such as providing transportation, information, and personal care assistance.
This network will allow improved access to services and movement within communities bringing together all stakeholders, PWD and CBR volunteers to be trained and be on standby to provide assistance when requested.
The network will promote comprehension among stakeholders of and with persons with disability and assist with reducing duplication and waste of resources. All the actors will be aware of the services each stakeholder provides, where and how, and will form a team of addressing gaps.
The Project has so far trained; 187 Volunteers, 98 Females and 89 Males, who started a good Job in the Communities of the North West Region even though their work is greatly hampered by the socio-political crisis in the North West Region of Cameroon. The results of their work have significantly improved upon the dignity of PWDs and only requires more resources for the relaunch of the project, whose funds could only support the initiative only up till November 2020
2) Creating a database for qualified job seekers with disabilities
Supported by the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, CBCHS through the Socio Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, SEEPD Program, The objective of this project is to enhance the employment of PWDs.
PWDs had and still have limited access to job opportunities due to barriers such as discrimination, marginalization, inaccessible infrastructure and information as well as limited knowledge on the potentials of persons with disabilities by employers.
A survey was conducted through the use of a survey form and after analysing the data, with key lessons noted, a database was created for persons with disabilities who are qualified and seeking gainful job opportunities. It is worthy to note that this activity was carried out in partnership with the National Employment Fund (State Owned), where potential Persons with Disabilities were counselled on their self-esteem, volunteering, interview techniques and a directory of opportunities was produced and distributed to these persons.
As a result of our partnership with the National Employment fund, Four Persons with Disabilities(2 Males and 2 Females) were employed in four different institutions in the City of Bamenda. This collaboration has been so fruitful and discussions are in high gear for a long-term partnership between CUAPWD and the National Employment Fund where CUAPWD seeks to build the capacity of staff of NEF to make their services disability-inclusive.
3) ELIED Project
ELIED (Enhancing livelihood resilience of protracted internally displaced persons) is a Bournemouth global challenges research funded project by the Bournemouth University
This was an academic research project that aimed to improve and enhance that welfare and build livelihood resilience for the IDPs.
CUAPWD partnered with Dr Bang Henry, the coordinator of the project, to carry out a research survey for IDP persons with disabilities in the region who have been affected by the Anglophone crisis. That was collected for 137 IDP persons with disabilities in all 7 divisions of the North West region.
4) Global Green Grant Fund Project
CUAPWD in partnership with the Global Green Grant Fund, GGF executed this project that was aimed at promoting the improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities in the Northwest Region of Cameroon through an innovative, community-driven approach to tree planting.
This was done by ensuring that persons with disabilities in communities in Bamenda who had been disproportionately affected by the ongoing crisis form Village Savings and Loan Schemes (VSLs) as an economic boost to sustaining their urge for environmental protection through tree planting. These VSLs formed, created benefits for themselves and their families, for the community, and through climate change mitigation, for the planet.
These activities benefited persons with disabilities in Bamenda who were the direct beneficiaries of the project. A total of 4 VSL groups were created in 2 out of the 3 subdivisions in Bamenda, having a total number of 92 members (43 women with disabilities, 24 men with disabilities, 6 females without disability, 19 youths)
The community benefited from these activities in several ways. They learnt from the VSLs groups; the good practice of inclusion and the aspect of becoming financially independent.
This inclusive approach used by CUAPWD is aimed at fostering inclusive development in the domain of environment protection. Hence, these trees have and will continue contributing to the conservation of the community environment by climate amelioration, conservation of water, soil preservation and protecting the ecosystem.
4) PIRL Partnership Project
The Partnerships for Inclusive Research and Learning (PIRL) Project started in 2019 with the CUAPWD as a Partner Organization. One of the key roles of the CUAPWD has been to ensure accessibility for researchers with disability, collaborate with other partner organizations to ensure participation of researchers with disability throughout the research process and discuss different strategies for conducting disability inclusive research in a low and middle income context.
Since 2019, CUAPWD has successfully played its role in this partnership although with some challenges.
The PIRL Project has over the years been very supportive to CUAPWD. Through this partnership we have succeeded in getting a small project grant to plan and commence the development of a website for the CUAPWD. We received a lot of technical assistance from PIRL on the priorities to set up front. We are grateful for this support and for the grant from the CBCHS to develop and finalize the website. While the development of content for the website is ongoing, PIRL has continued to be supportively ensuring that all content meets accessibility criteria.
Other Support from this partnership include:
- A Second Small Project underway for the development of a research department
- Supporting the Unit with an up to date laptop computer for PIRL related activities
- Continuous provision of technical assistance in the field of disability inclusive research
- Representatives of CUAPWD in this partnership have gained skills in technology through webinars and institutes, organized by the PIRL.