A BIT ABOUT OUR PLACEMENTS
on Alejandra Barahona (Kenya), 20/May/2010 18:47, 34 days ago
We both will be working for different companies under one main organization called APDK. APDK Mombasa The MombasaAPDKoffice is part of the national Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya, founded in 1958. The organisation has 6 up-country branches, in Nairobi, Machakos, Embu, Nakuru, Kisii, Busia and Kisumu, as well as the Mombasa. Mission Statement: “To enable persons with disabilities to overcome their physical limitations and empower them physically, economically, and socially to become self-reliant and fully integrated members of their communities”. Core institutional objectives of APDK are;To provide medical health care, rehabilitation and integration services to persons with disability in Kenya.To encourage the government and other authorities to conduct systematic research into the prevalence and needs of persons with disability.To encourage the cooperation of national and international organisations of, and for persons with disability.To aim at making the association into an organisation of persons with disability, through a determined policy of recruiting people who have disabilities to all bodies of the association.To disseminate information about persons with disabilities, their potential, available treatment, preventive measures, home based care a to increase public knowledge and awareness, to educate parents and community leaders.To collaborate with other stakeholders to maximise resources  Photo fromMombasa Info.The branches provide a number of services aimed to empower persons with physical disabilities. These include; Provision of therapy services.Networking of mobile clinicsCommunity-based rehabilitation (CBR), in slum and rural areas.Production and distribution of orthopaedic mobility aids.Orthopaedic surgery.Counselling.Vocational training.Education for children with disabilities, and school integration.Sheltered employment.Micro-financing for persons with disabilities.Not every branch provides every service, but according to local identified need and local availability of resources. APDK supports micro-enterprise activities, through a loan scheme, that is aimed at supporting the economic empowerment of persons with disability, or parents of children with disability. Once assessed, the person is encouraged to identify an area of economic activity that reflects their skills and interests, and presents this to APDK. The idea is assessed for viability, and loans provided, along with basic business skills training. The initiative is self-regulated in that each recipient acts as a guarantor for the loans of the other members of the group. APDK thus act as providers of limited capital, but enable persons with disability to start up small businesses such as a food kiosk, tailoring, carpentry. The Coast Branch provides vocational training, production and distribution of orthopaedic mobility aids at Likoni Quality Furniture as well as in Bombolulu Workshops. The branch has a FAIDA Micro Financing Scheme catering for the physically handicapped, as well as a rehabilitation clinic.