HANDICAPPED EDUCATION FOUNDATION (HANDEF)

THE STORY SO FAR

The story of the Handicapped Education Foundation (HANDEF) has been one of huge success, since its inception in December 2003. We have moved from glory to glory and surged from strength to strength in our bid to affect the lives of people with disability positively.
Here is a quick rundown of our journey so far:
FACTS
MOBILITY AIDS
HANDEF has given out a total of over 611 wheelchairs and looks set to add another 550 wheelchairs to beneficiaries spread across the south-west, by the end of 2010.Also, a total of 50 crutches, 10 walking sticks and 3 bilateral calipers have been donated to persons with disability in the state, with the help of some sister NGOs in the country, as part of its fulfillment towards positive contribution in alleviating problems of disability.
Students in the special school for the blind, Owo, had their eyes examined. Five out of these students had treatable cataract, which was resolved through surgery. Two children who were former students of the school for the blind, Tuyole and Leke Ogungbeni, and siblings of the same parents benefited from this surgery. They were also adopted by HANDEF, put in a regular school and given scholarship. This scholarship includes tuition fee, textbooks and welfare, as well as a commitment from HANDEF to ensure they get regular eye check-up and treatment as required. In August 2008, HANDEF sponsored a yag-laser surgery for Leke, the younger one at the Eye Foundation Hospital, ikeja Lagos.
HANDEF also paid attention to the medical needs of the hearing impaired. It organized a medical checkup for a total of 412 staff and pupils of the school for the deaf between 2005 and 2007. They were all screened and out of these, 20 pupils were found to have a reasonable residual hearing, enough to benefit from hearing aids and 17 were found to have normal hearing sensitivity. Skill acquisition programs were also not left as the increasing rate of unemployment among youths in the country calls for concern. HANDEF has taken it upon itself to empower youths and individuals who are physically challenged, hence the creation of the
Ø ICT,
Ø Hat and Bead making,
Ø Fashion and Knitting Departments.
ICT: On the 3rd of December, 2008, HANDEF graduated the first of eight trainees from the ICT unit of HANDEF center. Each graduands was presented with a certificate, a computer set and a generator. The ICT department of HANDEF had also received a boost during this period with the donation of eight computers, 4 laptops and a HP printer, for the use of the centers beneficiaries. With these empowering tools, these beneficiaries can go out and make a living for themselves, and indefinitely become employers of labor in the nearest future.

HAT AND BEAD MAKING DEPARTMENT: this is also a very active department, as a good number of its trainees have been graduated, and a new set have resumed, as at October, this year.
KNITTING AND SEWING DEPARTMENT: with the aim of empowering the physically challenged also, HANDEF has also created the knitting and sewing department where those who are interested are taught the rudiments of these vocations and are empowered with sewing machines and knitting tools at the end of the training.

WELFARE/EDUCATION
Ø BAGS OF RICE, MATTRESSES: Over N150, 000 worth of foodstuff, mattresses, blankets, toiletries have been distributed to people with disabilities in the state, especially the Special schools and the Leprosarium. This is to help in their feeding and clothing, and general upkeep.
Ø HANDEF, from its inception till date, has also made available a large amount of anti-retroviral drugs for persons with HIV/AIDS. The organization also provided insecticide treated nets for students of the school of the deaf.
Ø With the intervention of HANDEF, in the last administration of government, there has been an increase in the food allowance paid to the special schools within the state, from N90.00 per child daily, to N150.00 per child daily, and HANDEF has ensured the regularity of such payment.
Ø The foundation has also expended about 3million Naira in cash and equipments to PWDs as business capital or school fees between 2003 and 2007.
Ø Over 2million Naira worth of foodstuff, mattresses, blankets, toiletries have been donated to the state special schools, the leprosarium, old peoples home and the Nigerian prison service in Akure since the inception of the foundation in 2003.

HEALTH
As the popular saying goes, “Health is Wealth”. In agreement with this proverb, HANDEF has contributed its quota in this area by:
Ø Providing free drugs and medical equipment to people with disabilities through the Ministry of Health.
Ø Donated First Aid boxes with drugs to the 3 special schools in the state.
Ø Organized free cataract screening and surgery for the blind, and has also
Ø Influenced government settlement of medical bills of some accident victims.
Ø A reasonable number of clients, both PWDs and otherwise have so far been counseled and tested in the HIV/AIDS counseling unit since operation of this unit started in July 2008. This has gone a long way in educating PWDs on their susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, and how they can prevent its transmission.
Ø Also free condoms have been given out to individuals with the support of HANDEF, all with the aim of preventing and reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

ADVOCACY /NETWORKING
Ø HANDEF has sponsored “A share of the Sun”, an advocacy drama series on the abilities inherent in people with disabilities, which was shown on T.V stations in the south-west and NTA Port-Harcourt
Ø Sponsored “Agbo Akanda” a Yoruba radio enlightenment programme on Positive FM, akure.
Ø Continually liaised with disability NGOs and groups in order to stimulate positive thinking and welfare improvement. HANDEF is actively involved in immunization programmes through sensitization of women groups. HANDEF has also liaised with:
Ø HANDEF partners clubs,
Ø WANGO,
Ø FOUNDATION CENTER,
Ø FREE WHEEL CHAIR MISSION ORGANISATION which is set to give out 550 wheelchairs to in collaboration with HANDEF to PWDs, before the end of 2010.
Ø THE STAR CENTER, USA.
All of these is done by HANDEF to realize its aim of making the lives of people with disabilities, not only an envy, but an inspiration to the general society.

WORKSHOPS
Ø HANDEF has consistently been engaged in building the capacity of the physically challenged persons in the state in reproductive health
Ø HIV/AIDS and life building skills have also been taught through various workshops. In 2005 for example, 550 people were so trained.
Ø Also in the same year, HANDEF organized a workshop to sensitize people living with disabilities against the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
Ø HANDEF has so far trained 155 peer health educators from the 3 special schools to date, while 100 parents of children living with disabilities were trained on developing positive attitude towards their children.
Ø In 2008, 30 participants drawn from four tertiary institutions within Akure were also trained in HIV counseling and testing.
Ø HANDEF organized a one-day workshop on counseling and testing for students of five tertiary institutions in the state. The purpose of the seminar was to train students from each institution to be peer educators so that they can continue with the education and awareness creation in their immediate environment.
Ø Recently, HANDEF organized a Business Interactive Workshop, where past and present beneficiaries were invited to participate. During this workshop, business ideas were presented, and various ways by which the computer can be used to generate a source of livelihood.
Ø HANDEF also was a beneficiary of the World Bank Assisted Program, HAFFUND, on HIV/AIDS.
Ø In collaboration with ODSACA, HANDEF organized the first state conference on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Life Building Skills for people with Disabilities in Ondo State.
Ø HANDEF organized a program tagged DAY OUT WITH PARTNERS CLUB aimed at facilitating interaction between participating schools and the target audience.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Ø HANDEF has provided Micro-credit, Equipment loan and grants to the tune of N6.5million to persons with disabilities who are into one form of trade or the other.
Ø Has influenced the provision of government grants to persons and groups of people with disability through the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Ø MONEY AND EQUIPMENT: HANDEF gave out GSM handsets to the National Association for the Deaf in Akure to enable them send text messages to their colleagues.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
A fall-out of the activities of HANDEF through its founder, were several awards and recognitions, particularly from the STAR CENTER, USA. This was to recognize and appreciate the efforts of HANDEF at empowering people with disabilities and ensuring that they live a fulfilled life.
Several interviews have been given by the founder with
Ø AIT,
Ø POSITIVE FM,
Ø NTA NETWORK,
Ø OSRC,
Ø NTA Akure, etc.
HANDEF has also collaborated with sister NGOs, like
Ø STAR CENTER USA,
Ø THE FREE WHEELCHAIR MISSION,
Ø MARRDEC, on various projects, targeted towards PWDs.


EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Ø HANDEF participated in the Future Awards, an event organized for selected youths across the country. HANDEF was specially invited as Development Partner because of her deep involvement in humanitarian activities especially in the area of alleviating the problems of people with disabilities.
Ø On the 5th of June, HANDEF organized a competition for members of the partners club of ten schools where Gboluji Grammar school, ile-oluji came out tops.
Ø The 3rd of December every year is generally recognized as the international day for the disabled. To drive home this point, HANDEF planned its second graduation/ empowerment ceremony to coincide with that significant day. Each of the graduands went home with a set of computers and a generator to power it. The graduands from the other units went home with cash gifts for the procurement of their own tools of trade.
Ø HANDEF has established HANDEFs partners club in selected secondary schools in the state to foster the concept of Peer Education in order to stimulate positive attitude towards people with disabilities at the grassroots, and consistently embarked on sensitization visits to these schools.

IN THE PIPE-LINE
Distribution of 550 wheel chairs to beneficiaries within the south-west.
Workshops, seminars and conferences targeted towards PWDs.
Graduation ceremony for the 2010 set of ICT trainees, and commencement
Of new intake for the last quarter of the year.




COMPILED BY RUTH AITO
PROGRAMS OFFICER (HANDEF)