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The
mission of Hambisela is to improve the level and intensity of
therapeutically-correct ongoing care received by individuals affected
by cerebral palsy in the broad community, to enable them to realize
their maximum life potential.
Hambisela
is a Xhosa word which means “make progress”, and is used in the
context of progressing towards a goal.
In
pursuit of its mission, Hambisela transfers basic therapeutically-correct
skills to parents and primary caregivers, and also trains suitable
individuals from rural communities as Hambisela Facilitators,
to transfer these basic skills to parents and caregivers in their
communities.
The
primary objective of the project is to improve the exposure
of individuals affected by cerebral palsy to the key treatment
necessary to maximise their potential for development.
This is achieved by enabling families and caregivers to
provide a basic level of beneficial therapeutically-correct ongoing
care.
Key
functions of the Hambisela project are therefore:
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formulation
and development or adoption of appropriate training courses; |
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presentation
of these training courses to parents or caregivers of individuals
affected by cerebral palsy; |
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presentation
of “train-the-trainer” courses to transfer skills into the
communities of the Eastern Cape; |
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further development of the pool of specialised therapeutic
skills relevant to the treatment of individuals affected
by cerebral palsy. |
Programme
Conceptualization
The
caregiver / parent training program is conceptualized as follows:
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Increase
the understanding of cerebral palsy as a condition, and
how it affects a person; |
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Increase
the level of basic skills in handling, feeding, communication,
play, and everyday activities – these skills are based on
sound therapeutic principles; |
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Aimed
at individuals who are directly involved in caring for persons
with cerebral palsy on a daily basis – i.e. parents and
caregivers; |
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Content
must be understandable to individuals at all levels of education
/ literacy; |
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Facilitated
by a person who is based in the community. |
Drawing
on a number of open-source and other publications (with permission),
the Programme content has been developed as a core of 7 modules,
each dealing with specific elements (see Modules)
We are proudly linked to KNOWCP.
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Each module comprises a Facilitator Manual, an Activity Pack,
course display material, and a Trainee Handout. The draft modules
were circulated to a review panel of therapists to ensure the
integrity of the content.
The
Facilitator Manual, Activity Pack and display material are used
by the Facilitator for the presentation of the Programme, and
include detail addressed to the Facilitator on how to present
the Module. The Trainee Handout contains only the subject material,
and can be distributed to trainees at the end of the Module as
a take-home reference.
Although
all the materials and the presentation of the modules will ultimately
be in the trainee’s home language, the materials have been developed
in English. Translation into other languages, initially Xhosa
and Afrikaans, will be undertaken in the next stage of the project.
To
maximize the reach and impact of the Programme, and encourage
communities to develop a community-based enablement model towards
cerebral palsy, the modules will be facilitated in the community
by suitable members of that community, trained by Hambisela using
a “train-the-trainer” course. The facilitators will then be provided
with the materials required to present the modules in their community,
and Hambisela will thereafter monitor the progress and quality
of the training to ensure effective and accurate training of caregivers.
Feedback
Received on the Project
Substantial
positive feedback on the overall project has been received during
the development process.
Many
of the professional therapists involved in the review panel have
indicated their interest is using the Hambisela training modules
in their community programmes. Word has also spread to community
members that the project is in the trial stage, and they have
made contact to enquire when they can become involved.
Overall,
the positive feedback and discussions held with a wide range of
interested and affected parties confirms both the need for the
training programme, and the appropriateness of the Hambisela program
to meet that need.
Contact
Us
If
you are interested in getting involved with Hambisela, or would
like to offer or attend the Hambisela Programme in your area,
please contact
us.
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