Rehabilitation and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired Person (REVIP)
Caritas Bangladesh and REVIP project:
According to a survey report of Sight Severs International, 1.53% of the population of Bangladesh is visually impaired. The strategic plan of Vision 2020 states that 90% of all visual impairment in this region are preventable and curable but because of inadequate number of ophthalmologists it is not possible to prevent and cure a high number of visual impaired with its limited resources. Some initiatives have been undertaken at Government and Non Government level addressing the objectives of Vision-2020. But this is very limited compared to the need. Considering the present situation of the persons with disability Caritas Bangladesh and its partner Andheri Hilfe have decided to initiate a program title Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Visually Impaired Persons (REVIP).
As part of this initiative a one-year (July 2006-June 2007) pilot project was implemented by Caritas Dinajpur Region. After completing the pilot project the three years (first phase) of the project started in July 2007 and the same ended in June 2010. Thereafter, the three-year continuation project (July 2010 to June 2013) has been being implemented in all villages of 26 unions of four upazila i.e. Phulbari, Birampur, Khanshama and Ghuraghat under Dinajpur district. Following the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) approach and strategies gradually the project will run towards sustainability.
Goal of the project:
A society where blind relief and rehabilitation is a reality and one gets back into the mainstream of the Community.
Principle:
Rehabilitation and empowerment of the visually impaired (VI) persons is a moral responsibility of the community.
Objective of the project:
- To identify curable and incurable visually impaired children and persons and create awareness among mass people and to sensitize them for providing necessary supports and services;
- To initiate steps in order to ensure access of the blind children to mainstream education and provide stipend to the high school, college and university students in order to promote higher education; and
- To establish greater unity among the visually impaired persons in order to establish their rights at family, society, local and national levels.
Beneficiaries:
Direct |
Indirect |
|
Male |
2404 |
9894 |
Female |
3821 |
10900 |
Total |
6225 |
20794 |
Location / Operation Area of REVIP Project:
District |
Upazila |
Union |
Dinajpur
|
Phulbari |
Eluari,Alladipur,Kajhal,Betdigh, khoearbari,Dawlatpur, Shibnagar,Sujapur |
Khanshama |
Allokjari,Ververi,Angarpara,Bhabki, Goaldighi, Kamarpara |
|
Ghoraghat |
Singra, Palsa, Bolakipur,Ghoraghat |
|
Birampur |
Birampur, Powrasava, Khanpur, Sander, Deur, Poligrampur, Binail, JotbaniKatla |
|
Total : 1 District |
Total : 4 Upazila |
Total : 26 Union |
Major Activities of the Project:
For realizing the above-mentioned objectives following activities are being implemented in three-year continuation project:
- Staff Development Training / Meeting / Exposure;
- Door-to-Door Survey for identifying all kinds of visually impaired persons;
- Awareness Raising Activity;
- Capacity Building and Empowerment: such as, arrange necessary skill development training and organization building for visually impaired persons;
- Economic Development: through credit support for income generation activities;
- Medical Support : such as, cataract operation, petrygium with grafting surgery, DCT surgery, squint with tube and GA patient surgery, treatment for Low Vision Patients and provide necessary devise support;
- Education Support: such as, provide stipend for promoting higher education.
- Develop Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials;
- Monitoring and Evaluation;
Director Responsible for this Project:
Director-Disaster Management and Development
Caritas Bangladesh
2 Outer Circular Road
Shantibagh, Dhaka-1217
Bangladesh .
Regional Director for Implementation of this Project:
Mr. Jogen Julian Besra
Regional Director (Designated)
Caritas Dinajpur Region
West Shibrampur
P.O. Box.8
Dinajpur-5200