COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION OF THE WORKING-AGE DISABLED PERSONS AND THIER SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE BONGO DISTRICT OF GHANA

Abstract

Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) has been widely acknowledged as a universal remedy for enhancing the quality of life of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) through improved service delivery, providing more equitable opportunities and promoting and protecting their rights. It is carried out through the combined efforts of PWDs themselves, their families, communities, and the relevant stakeholders. In Ghana a number of development organizations; local, national and international, governmental and non-governmental bodies including organizations for and of persons with disabilities have adopted the CBR initiatives. Despite this adoption, there is hardly any sufficient information on the impact of CBR services in the socio-economic development of working age disabled persons. This study therefore examined the impact of CBR services as a key strategy for promoting the socio-economic development of working-age disabled people. Purposive/simple random samplings were used to examine 200 working-age disabled beneficiaries after rehabilitation services in order to gauge the impact of CBR services in their socio-economic development. The CBR services provided micro credit support, trainings, medical interventions, and others to enhance their socio-economic activities and built their capacities for effective participation in society. Rehabilitation challenges include high illiteracy among PWDs, unemployment, discrimination and inaccessibility to rehabilitation services. Braille and Sign language should be introduced into some selected institutions to facilitate effective mainstreaming and implementation of the government inclusive policy. Disabled Associations should also take over rehabilitation services as prerequisite for broad-based sustainable strategy