Journalist Kwizera Lewis is diep onder de indruk van het Family Based Rehabilitation project. Hij schreef onderstaand bericht voor de krant in Burundi.
A new born in social and psycho therapuetic sector in Burundi
Located on a hill, in Bukinga district, Musigati Commune, Bubanza Province, the Social Therapeutic Centre for Mental handicapped has emerged as a solution to many families.
Angeline, a sister to a down syndrome client has expressed satisfaction feelings to the coming of the centre found almost in the middle of nowhere. “ I thank God who has guided The ARB and Dufashanye Foundation to have initiated this project for us poor people who cannot afford to travel miles and miles up to Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi, so as to get medical care for our relatives. Having this centre here in our neighbourhood is a very precious thing”.
What is the Association Raphael in Burundi?
The Association Raphael au Burundi (ARB), is a Burundi based Non Profit Organisation which aims to assist Mental Handicapped people through its Community Based Rehabilitation Project. Andre Masumbuko, a former Dutch resident who currently works and lives in Burundi, after several years having worked with Breidablick Institute in Middenbeemster as Socio Therapist, has come up with this idea of creating a centre which will provide necessary care to mental handicapped people in Burundi. It is in this perspective that a group of Burundian from different background including a Psychotherapist, a Social therapists, an ergo therapists, a specialist in community based projects and an financial administrative specialist came together to make this dream a reality.
What are the ARB Objectives?
The ARB objectives among others include:
- To create a Rehabilitation Centre for mental handicapped;
- To protect and Promote handicapped rights in general and mental in particular;
- To participate in improving mental handicapped living standards by facilitating them an access to health care and appropriate therapeutic intervention;
- To organise, educate and integrate mental handicapped in the community through appropriate vocation skills training and by initiating income generating activities;
- Lobbying towards potential donors and other stakeholders in mental deficiency sector for matters regarding handicapped rights;
- To elaborate and implement Community Based Schemes on Prevention, Intervention and Rehabilitation Programmes for mental handicapped.
However, the ARB in partnership with Dufashanye Foundation, a Ducth based Non Government Organisation has initiated a construction project of a complexe which will be used as: Offices, Medical Cabinet, Multipurpose hall, a Kitchen and a Restaurant in Musigati Commune, Bubanza Province.
A group of social workers has benefited a training and are currently busy implementing ARB Projects and Programmes.
Therapeutic intervention
Mental deficiency that characterises our clients, is part of their daily life. “It determines a mode of existence which is incompatible with the normal conditions of life and work in our society. (G.DUCOMMUN socio-therapist). The approach of intervention proposed by the Association Raphael au Burundi (ARB) corresponds to the real needs of people who cannot be integrated in a normal system because of their disorders. However, their disability does not require admission to a psychiatric hospital.
Working in the centre will help clients to gain greater autonomy in the following aspects: – Physical – Emotional – Social, making them suitable for further integration with social life. In general, the affection and relationship with clients is created in every single minute through quality and warmth acquired by the presence of another. The educator creates a bond of life to clients by allowing an active communication through listening and providing an adequate response to them. The life of the community arises from reciprocity. The initiation of activities in daily rhythm will be determined according to the needs and capacities of residents. Groups support in a friendly work environment will be organized so as to stimulate a suitable social and cultural life.
Conclusion
The ARB expresses its gratitude to DUFASHANYE Foundation and all its partners to have fully supported all the construction work and other ARB activities financially. It also thanks local authorities for their moral support and to have carried out sensitisation campaign on ARB projects and Programmes.
Kwizera Lewis
Freelancer Reporter
