New SSHRC project launched in Mozambique

| 31 January 2024 | 38 views

Project Director and Principal Investigator Dr. Heather Aldersey reports on the launch of Balancing Act in Mozambique.

It is exciting to share the experiences and outcome of the first official local launch of the Balancing Act research project. These launches will share the research project with the local community affiliated with each case study partner site. I was honored to attend the first launch in Beira, Mozambique, organized by the Provincial Do Genero, Crianca E Accao Social (i.e. the Provincial Department of Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action (DPGCAS)) in partnership with Light for the World.

Upon arrival in the capital city, Maputo, Sampaio, Light for the World team member took me to a range of key partner offices to share about the study and get their feedback. These visits included to the national umbrella organization for organizations of persons with disabilities (FAMOD), as well as to the Rehabilitation Program of the Ministry of Health and the National Disability Program at the Ministry of Women, Gender, Children and Social Action. It was a wonderful opportunity to share about the study and what we are hoping to learn, and to get some feedback about how to implement the study and share results so that our findings can have national impact.

The following day, we flew from Maputo to Beira. While in Beira, I had a chance to visit the local NGOs and DPOs that are implementing CBR in partnership with DPGCAS and Light for the World, as well as visit some of the families that they serve. My visit also overlapped with the International Day for Persons with Disabilities and I was able to join in with hundreds of local advocates on a march through the streets of Beira and a gathering that involved dancing, speeches, and a rehabilitation demonstration. Finally, for our project launch, we held a workshop with a range of different partners of DPGCAS. This launch was presided over by Dr. José Diquissone Tole, Child Protection Officer Light for the World, and Graciana Pita, Director of the Provincial Do Genero, Crianca E Accao Social (Provincial Department of Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action), and was documented by local media. After words of welcome, participants broke into small groups based on their lived experience (service providers, persons with disabilities, family members of persons with disabilities) and talked about their experiences giving and receiving formal and natural support and coming up with recommendations and suggestions for the project to consider as we move forward. All of the groups then came together and shared their discussions and offered further reflections together as a larger group. I am so grateful to the Provincial Do Genero, Crianca E Accao Social and study partner Cesaltina for organizing the local workshop and my side visits, and to Sampaio, Program Manager for Light for the World, and Annemarie, CBR/DICD Expert and Technical Consultant for Light for the World, for all the logistical and operational support for my time in Mozambique.

It was wonderful to experience the warm welcome and learn about the history and culture of Mozambique, and I am already looking forward to when I can return again to learn more from people with disabilities, families, and our colleagues at DPGCAS and LFTW.

School of Rehabilitation Therapy