Significant Challenge

An estimated 15% of the world’s population lives with a disability. And those with disabilities are often unemployed, uneducated, abused at home, and overlooked in society (UN) especially in developing countries. This alone makes it hard to get accurate data on those living with disabilities.

In resource-deprived communities, those with disabilities don’t have much of a choice than to try to work in order to provide for themselves and their families. Workplace areas may not have many, if any, accommodations for those with disabilities such as adequate access to materials, mobility routes, or adequate rest. While some of these are harder to solve, one essential solution is providing rehabilitation to “optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment” (WHO, Rehabilitation). Specific exercises, movements, and positions can help strengthen mobility and further economic impact.

The resources for rehabilitation does not meet the current needs. The WHO reports that “the unmet rehabilitation need around the world, and especially in low- and middle-income countries is profound.” (WHO, 2017) Not only are there insufficient numbers of rehabilitation professionals to meet the need of those with disabilities, the skill level of the few professionals is also insufficient to effectively meet the need (WHO, 2017). The need to provide skilled and specific training to improve the skills of current rehabilitation professionals is great. In many low- and lower-middle-income countries the skilled practitioner density is often below 10 per 1 million population and the number of other health professionals who can deliver rehabilitation services is also extremely low (WHO, 2018)

Satisfying Solution

Global Feather Rehab sought to build community equality and economic growth for those with disabilities through rehab, classes, training, and consultation. This can be a huge benefit for those trying to work yet struggle with pain associated with their disability. They not only seek to make the disabled more functional and mobile, but to also give relief to the caretaking families. This is especially true with children.

More than rehabilitation, they provided job-site consultation to employed adults with disabilities to improve skills and communication with their employers which promoted inclusive decent work for all. Special training for local rehab centers provided better care, scale, and sustainability. Group classes fostered a strategy to manage this need within the local community affected.

Professionals International made it possible for Global Feather Rehab to collect donations for this business start up in its target country when no other options seemed to exist. We were proud to partner with this social entrepreneur.

Business Activities Geared Towards Promoting Decent Work and Economic Growth as well as Reducing inequalities, particularly among Peoples with Disabilities:

Target: achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities (Taken from Target 8.5)

Target: empower and promote the social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status, and ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome (Taken from Target 10.2, 10.3)

Measured by:

• Number of children who show improved functional independence as demonstrated by achievement of at least 2 of set functional goals

• Number of caregivers who demonstrate identified skills required to care for and promote independence in their child

• Number of adults with disabilities (or per report of their bosses) will verbalize and/or demonstrate an improvement in their ability or ease of job performance

Stories of Substantial impact

Starting in Oct 2019, this project partnered with other therapists in the country to provide training and to build a client base. Their clients were often in remote areas which took more time to travel and discover the particular local needs. 

Things quickly changed in early 2020 with the global COVID crisis. Travel and visiting those in need were restricted as well as a decrease in necessary funding. The project leader testified that there were “limited clients due to the impact of the virus. NGO centers where I was doing training previously or had planned to do training do not have the funds for the training, which is at least in part due to funding decreases due to the impact of the virus.” - 2020

Throughout the rest of the year and into 2021, limited clients were serviced but not eliminated altogether. Each quarter typically saw 2 - 4 adults along with 1 - 3 children receiving skill training and services. For example, 

“When I arrived, Gladi was sitting bent over and could not move her arms or hands because of the pain. Her face was wrinkled with pain, far beyond her 50+ years. She could no longer work or even wash her family's clothes without extreme pain. As I showed her exercises and spoke hope that she could get better, her face began to brighten. Before I left, she was able to sit upright and even begin to move her arms. Her words said what I already was seeing on her face: "Before my heart was in pain, now my heart is comfortable." -2021

Similar connections and results continued into 2022. Working with those with disabilities is often not a “one-n-done” kind of service. Being able to go back to those in need gives Global Feather an opportunity to witness any progress or areas of concern, such as in this impact story:

“Leilana had been unable to do her housework, work in the fields, or drive her children to school from their village due to the pain in her back. Every step up the stairs of her house caused her knee pain. She had been mostly in bed for several months. When we returned a few weeks later, she had diligently been doing the exercises we showed her. Now there was a smile on her face as she served us tea and bread. She was able to walk up and down the steps without pain. She was able to do her work and drive her children to school. There was hope in her eyes.” -2022

One of the significant benefits, beyond those mentioned above, was its ability to partner and train other professionals.

“Although not in the initial goals set for the project, I think the main accomplishment has been to be able to train and support local rehab therapists who are working with children with disabilities in this area of the country. They have limited training in pediatric rehabilitation and this project has provided training for these local therapists. One therapist in particular was initially working at an NGO in a big city, but after training was able to move back to her remote hometown area to start a small business providing rehabilitation services for children with disabilities there. This project provided ongoing support and training for her as she started her work in this under-served area of the country.” - 2022

Currently, Golden Feather Rehab is able to be self-sustaining and continues to provide rehab services to clients in this underserved area, as well as providing support and training for local therapists. The project finished with Professionals International in August of 2022 as it finished up its original agreement.