The Kusamala+ Stigma Reduction Toolkit is the product of a 10-year community based program to reduce stigma for children with disabilities living in family-based care in low-income compounds and improve family quality of life. In partnership with Access to Health Zambia (formerly Catholic Medical Mission Board), universities in the upper Midwest in the USA, Zambian governmental ministries, and local health facilities engaged in the following activities:
- Health facility staff (nurses, physiotherapists, nutritionists, etc) were trained as Master Trainers in the causes of disability, stigma, family support, feeding and positioning, and techniques to train and support community caregivers in home visiting.
- Community caregivers were trained to identify households with a child with a disability and provide basic techniques in feeding and positioning, physiotherapy, social support, referrals, and participate in community events.
- Community events included dramatizations, cooking demonstrations, play groups, talks at the health facility, and local religious spaces.
- Referrals were made to the Zambian Association for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), physiotherapy, and other health, social welfare, and educational programs.
The program successfully identified families with a child with a disability, engaged in program activities, reduced community-based stigma, and improved the quality of life for families who have a child with a disability. This toolkit is provided to expand the program in a way that is accessible for many locations and institutions.
