Caregivers’ economic empowerment

Watoto Ciao recognises that the strategies and intervention to improve the wellbeing of children with disabilities cannot work and will not be sustainable without providing alternative or supplemental sources of income to their caregivers. Most children with disabilities are found among the poorest families and communities due to such interlocking factors as inadequacy of household income, lack of marketable skills and lack of access to resources (e.g., land, animals and working capital). Thus, poor families are often left with no option but to avoid costly medical treatment for their kids.  This pattern is found across most caregivers of children with disabilities who have limited working opportunites to supplement the family’s income being homebound by their daily child’s care. Providing sustainable income generating opportunities, therefore, positively affects the income-earning capacity and it results in improved wellbeing of the child and family.

It is this condition that the Watoto Ciao Livelihood Improvement Programme (LIP) addresses by creating “replacement” income to fill what is financially lost by daily caring the disabled child.
It is challenging to find sustainable and alternative livelihood options where the local economy struggles and in rural communities with limited market access. However, the strategy focuses on building the caregiver’s skills and self-employment opportunities.

After assessing the genuine needs of the caregivers, beneficiaries are identified, sensitized to select a viable business and then trained on basic business skills. Based on a business proposal and budget estimate, seed money is provided, enough to start a small business.
Examples of small businesses may include small-animal-raising, basic items (e.g., sugar, rice, maize, cooking fat) to run a small kiosk, purchase of vegetables for sale, cooking items such as two bales of wheat flour and ten kg. of
cooking fat to make and sell chapati and mandazi, one sack of maize and ten kg. of cooking fat to make and sell ugali.
Caregivers are supported on condition that their children regularly attend therapy sessions and possibly go back to school for formal education. To this end, caregivers sign a commitment witnessed by community leaders and local authorities.
Follow-up is undertaken to check on caregivers` compliance and provide technical support. Increasing families’
income has a positive effect on children’s health and school attendance. It also contibuted to change family dynamics and wellbeing.