Community Based Rehabilitation

In May 1997, Tororo Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Services (T.C.C.B.R.S.) was started by then Director Wolfgang Gindorfer. The catchment area was drawn based on the church boundaries of the east and central Deaneries of Tororo Catholic Archdiocese which included the church parishes of Kwapa, Nyangole, Malaba, Sacred Heart, Agururu, Osia, and Mollo. 

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A home-to-home baseline survey to identify PWDs (Person With Disabilities) was carried out by volunteers in the community who were selected from various church parishes. These CRPs (Community Resource Person) were then trained by administrators and doctors in the hospital. 

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The survey results found that there was a substantial need within the community for rehabilitation services for PWDs. 

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The Benedictine Eye Hospital with support from Christian Blind Mission (CBM) decided to meet this need by forming the CBR department of the hospital. CBR, a term used by practitioners world-wide, stands for Community Based Rehabilitation and focuses on community engagement to support a healthier and more sustainable future for PWDs. 

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What began as a service for the Tororo district, the CBR team was able to extend its reach past Tororo and into neighboring districts through outreach programs. Due to the increased work load, the staff grew from 1 full time staff member and 10 part time field staff to 7 full time staff members and 8 part time field staff. Over this time period, the CBR staff was able to help thousands of adults and children with disabilities. 

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Due to financial struggles, the CBR underwent a restructuring in 2006 that left the team with only five full time staff which is the current number of staff today. With the restructuring, the prioritization of treating children with disabilities became the main focus of the CBR. 

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Today, the 5 full time staff travel hundreds of thousands of miles annually to meet the needs of the over 1,200 People with Disabilities (PWD). The CBR is committed to the hospitals overarching mission statement (insert) by organizing parent support groups, conducting training seminars on childhood disabilities for local communities and local institutions, and providing high quality rehabilitation services. 

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With increased financial support, the CBR has aspirations to greatly increase the quality and quantity of services for children with disabilities inside and outside of the district of Tororo.