Achieving Disability Inclusive Development through Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in Okhaldhunga, Nepal is the first CBR project for people living with disability in this district. People with disability (PWD) and their families are among the most marginalised groups in Nepal, frequently excluded from mainstream development and from participation in society. The goal of this project is simply to reverse this situation by transforming Okhaldhunga into a disability-inclusive society. This will mean PWD and their families will experience full access to and participation in every aspect of the community in which they live and become valuable contributers to society.
The project includes every kind of disability, their families and carers. It prioritises those with more severe disability, those experiencing greater stigma and those marginalised by caste, gender and remote location. The project’s main focus is on empowering PWD and building the capacity of the existing government and civil society structures, so that when the project ends, the work continues.
The project uses the Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) strategy to implement its goals. The ‘twin-track’ development approach is used. This integrates disability issues into mainstream development using a rights based approach, while at the same time assisting in the provision of specific services to address the needs of PWD. The CBR Matrix five components of health, education, social, livelihood and empowerment form the basis of the project design and activities. All five components are addressed, with priority given to health, livelihoods and empowerment.