Training in Uganda - January 2011

The first CPA training course is currently being run in Uganda. Hocepa (Hope for Cerebral Palsy in Uganda) is a parents organization and they requested and have arranged the training.

Renate has been running the first part of the course on the physiotherapy side and helping participants know how to handle and help the child at home.

The Ugandan participants
They are now doing APT training with Joy helping

They will make items for their children and help others with children needing chairs in their homes - a new group of APTers/ Paper Furniture Makers

Making boards

Joy demonstrating the strength of rolled pieces of paper especially when the grains are in the direction to hold up a book over a gap.

A few days away from Accra

The beautiful cape Coast with the dreadful history - it was awful enough just to see the places where people were held before being shipped off to be slaves
Never again








Seeing the equipment made in 2009!





Richard helping hold the feet while Joana shows her skills - she leant a lot from a CPA course and wants to do her Masters on the topic.

The classroom for children with cerebral palsy, named in honour of Gloria Godfrey who worked towards this and worked hard to help Veronica, Dorinda and Eddie Doyle (VSO carpentry teacher) run a course on the Assistive Cardboard Equipment in Cape Coast. It was held in the School for the Deaf in the end of 2009 and resulted in all the chairs and standing frames being made.

More visits and more APT

Making an insert for a wheel chair - also useful for use on an ordinary kitchen chair. A suggestion from Renate (physiotherapist) so Joy is taking one to Uganda for on Sunday 16th Jan and we thought it would be very useful here.

Every day we are making as well as visiting.

Richard making a ramp for tilting a chair - please not the use of tights kindly donated by Margaret and the WI!

People are very active in Accra

Real Tro-tros - always busy in Accra
Dorinda and Anna with tro-tro walker (wheels in the bag - still need adjustment)

At Korle Bu, the main teaching Hospital in Accra there is a new Paediatric Physiotherapy Unit - very smart and parents bring children every weekday. We spent a morning observing and playing with the children

One little boy had played a lot and fell asleep

There are lots of children needing chairs and standing frames. Sandra, the physiotherapist requested we help with a chair for this child. We are going work on making one with Dorinda
Please note the Paper Furniture box made by Libby- Sandra loves it and wants another!

Just in case anyone is wondering - it is not all work

Lots of wonderful fruit !

Back in Ghana

After 2 years CPA equipment people are back in Ghana. The 3 of us went to Pigs Farm, bus/tro-tro place, and met up with Veronica, one of the participants on the Cerebral Palsy Africas's 2009 APT course. We went to her house and saw her daughter who has cerebral palsy.

Veronica and Jean walking along path into Veronica's back yard

Veronica showed us how well A is doing in the cardboard standing frame she has made

Richard(from Hampshire) and Anna(from Australia) with A - the house is very small and packed with items including Veronica's APT work

After a lot of chat about her work making chairs and standing frames for Annet and other children over the last 2 years, we went to see the new development that is to help with the space problem Walking from the house to the new container bought with the help of MOSS (Move On - Seed Support), a small Christian charity helping people who have a specific need where a small grant will make a difference to helping them move on in life and useful enterprise

Veronica's newly acquired workshop for helping children with disabilities in Accra, is being beautifully prepared for action. So much work has been done to get it ready. Concrete slabs, are on one side and the back for some extra work space and also on the front. Then she has caged in the front so it all locks safely. Inside the container is lined with cardboard sheets on walls and ceiling. The cardboard lined walls and ceiling lightening the inside of the container

Well what else could a true enthusiast use?!

Veronica, delighted to have a space to increase the good work!

More on Burkina Faso APT training

CONGRATULATIONS to all the new APT people in Burkina Faso

Back row from right to left: Paul, assistant administrative, Souleymane, orthopedic technician, Prosperer: Animator Radio president du Cassed, org. for street children and orphans, Aïcha, Policice activity assistant in the prison of 39 women deliquents, Bakari, Psychologist, Aurore French volunteer speechtherapist and psychomotrienne, Mothers of children of Fitima, Cécile French volunteer, OT. mother

Second row on Marain's right hand is: Jean Louis, PT assistant, and on her left hand and further are all mothers. In the front is Arcen Patient of Fitima, decorator.

Making a cardboard insert including foot support

This is useful for a kitchen chair and a wheelchair too

Strengthening the insert

A different insert for giving pelvic, back and foot support using an available chair

Making a bench

A child-friendly chair

Decorating the ramp

Busy painting

The useful and colourful results!

Making APT benches in Burkina Faso

APT training with Fitima

Marian teaching - she came to Mtwapa in Kenya in 2009

Now she has translated loads of handouts into French with the help of Danielle Robertson

The Foundation FITIMA fight for a better quality of life for handicapped children in Burkina Faso:

Interview with its founder, Hawa Drame see website www.fitima.org

Hawa Drame is the mother of two children suffering from muscular dystrophy. Biochemist by training, she worked for several years in associations of patients with rare diseases, including the AFM (French Association against Myopathies) and EURORDIS (European Organization for Rare Diseases). Arrival in Burkina Faso in 2002, she quickly informed about the conditions of care for disabled drivers, and discussed the situation with leaders of organizations of disabled people. The finding was immediate: in Burkina Faso (as in most countries of the sub-region), there are facilities for disabled adults, but the care of handicapped children is not very developed. With its experience in the field of genetic diseases in general and neuromuscular diseases in particular, it established in August 2003, the Foundation FITIMA (International Foundation Tierno and Mariam), devoted to children suffering from neuromuscular diseases in particular and disability engine in general.

Now about Fitima in French

Hawa Dramé est la mère de deux enfants atteints de myopathies. Hawa Drame is the mother of two children suffering from muscular dystrophy. Biochimiste de formation, elle a travaillé pendant plusieurs années au sein d’associations de patients atteints de maladies rares, dont l’AFM (Association Française contre les Myopathies) et EURORDIS (European Organisation for Rare Diseases). Arrivée au Burkina Faso en 2002, elle s’est rapidement informée sur les conditions de prise en charge des personnes handicapées moteurs, et a examiné la situation avec des responsables d’associations de handicapés. Le constat fut immédiat : au Burkina (comme dans la plupart des pays de la sous-région), il existe des structures pour les adultes handicapés, mais la prise en charge des enfants handicapés moteurs n’est que très peu développée. Forte de son expérience dans le domaine des maladies génétiques en général et des maladies neuromusculaires en particulier, elle a créé, en août 2003, la Fondation FITIMA (Fondation Internationale Tierno et Mariam), consacrée aux enfants souffrant de maladies neuromusculaires en particulier et de handicap moteur en général.

Preparing for Christmas with goods for sale and for trips next year

Paper Furniture Social Enterprise WORKSHOP is open for visitors

Unit 4, MacNeills, Redhill Farm, Medstead, Alton Hampshire GU34 5EE. UK

David testing a paper stool- yes he does have his weight on the stool!

Real waste paper wastepaper bins!

Anna looking at doll called 'Gifty' in chair she painted. This is going to Uganda with physiotherapists Renate and Liz