Development Ratings

The Cambodia Trust aims to restore mobility for disabled people, and to promote their rights. It aims to build the local services to support them to lead normal lives and overcome poverty. The Trust wants to spread its expertise in prosthetics-orthotics (P&O) in a range of low income countries, to provide sustainable in-country services, and reduce reliance on expatriate specialists. It runs internationally certified and accredited courses for students to learn to fit P&O devices and provide services to disabled people. Through the Trust’s rehabilitation centres and community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes, disabled people can gain mobility, overcome barriers, and get access to opportunities. Physiotherapy and work re-training is also offered.

• Cambodia: The Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (CSPO) was set up in 1994. Women are encouraged to train as female patients often refuse treatment by men. CSPO has trained students from Afghanistan, Timor L’este, Georgia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Sri Lanka. The Trust operates three rehabilitation centres: they provide rehabilitation care and physiotherapy, and accommodation while patients learn to walk; they also pay for any surgical referrals. Self-help community groups are set up. Disabled people’s needs are met, such as providing ramps and handrails in schools, and access to re-training and grants to set up small businesses. (Ironically, disabled people are often refused micro-credit because they are too poor.) The Trust also works on promoting the rights of disabled people through advocacy with the relevant authorities.

• Sri Lanka: In 2004, the Sri Lankan School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (SLSPO) was established in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The Trust operates as project manager and technical advisor. The development phase will be completed in 2009; in the second phase, to 2014, expatriate management will be reduced until full ministerial control is in place. There were only 8 trained P&O specialists in Sri Lanka (graduates of CSPO) – 115 are needed to meet the needs of the disabled population. It is believed that 90% of disabled people in Sri Lanka have no access to services.

• Timor L’este: The Trust established ASSERT with local NGOs to build the country’s capacity to serve disabled people. ASSERT opened Timor L’este’s only centre for physical rehabilitation (TLSPR) in 2005. The Trust manages the centre and trains local staff. Initially expatriate staff (from Cambodia and Australia) are providing the skills to implement services, but the first trained Timorese graduate returned to begin work in 2006. CBR services and training are being planned in partnership with other NGOs and the Ministry of Labour. Local specialists will take over the centre in 7-10 years. The project is integrated with the Government which pays its core costs.

A test model P&O school in Indonesia, in partnership with the local Ministry, is being set up in 2009. There is a need for at least 7 schools there. The Trust is exploring the opening of a West African school, possibly in Ghana, to train students in P&O work and build regional production, fitting and training capacity.