CHAI – LF Supporting Children with Disability

Liliane Foundation (LF) founded in the year 1980, is a Netherlands-based funding agency which provides support for comprehensive tailor made and rights based assistance to children and youths with disabilities in low income countries. Operating through a network of Partner Organizations (PO) and affiliated local contacts mediators, LF offers a unique person-centered and targeted direct child assistance strategy. The support covers (para)-medical, education, rehabilitation and livelihoods needs of children and youngsters with disabilities below the age of 25.

Liliane Foundation is working with Partners in India since 1981 helping thousands of children every year with necessary rehabilitative interventions. In 1994, the Foundation decentralised its implementation and administration activities through its Strategic Partner Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI).

Currently, the CHAI-LF Project is working with 150 local Partner Organizations spread across 7 States of India (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Orissa and Gujarat).

Through these Partners, last year alone CHAI-LF and has assisted nearly 12000 children and youths with disabilities.

Mission

To open the world for children with a disability in developing countries by giving them access to:

healthcare, and associated (para) medical rehabilitation;
education, and in turn (cognitive) development and social rehabilitation;
the job market, and in turn work and income;
legal rights and the legal system, and in turn advocacy for their rights.

Vision

Children with disabilities in developing countries participate as equals in the lives of their families and communities.

Target Group

The main beneficiaries are children and young people with disabilities in the age range of 0-25 years and their parents/caregivers. They come from resource-poor communities in the developing countries where the Liliane Foundation operates with its partners.

The different types of disability we assist:

- Problems with vision (e.g blind, low vision)

- Problems with hearing and speech (e.g deaf )

- Problems with moving (e.g polio, spinal problems)

- Neurological problems (e.g epilepsy, brain damage)

- Intellectual and /or behavior problems (e.g mental retardation, Down syndrome )

- Cosmetic problems (e.g Burns, cleft palate)

Epilepsy, although not a disability, is on the list of diseases that the Liliane Foundation helps detect and treat.

Our assistance is aimed at providing total rehabilitation assistance to give child the opportunity to develop him/herself as a human being. Hence we support for:

- Medical Rehabilitation

- Educational support

- Skill Trainings

- Vocational Training, and

- Income Generation Programmes

Community based rehabilitation

The focus of assistance is on children with a disability who live with their families. Children in institutions may also receive assistance. They will then be stimulated to return to their families and communities, if they are accepted there. Children have a right to family life and they develop best in their own environment. Assistance that is based on their local context, close to home, is usually most appropriate and efficient.

Partner Organization & Mediator

Partner Organisations

Local Partner Organisations are the backbone of the assistance programme of the Liliane Foundation. Cooperation with Partner Organisations and their mediators is essential for the qualitative development and continuity of the assistance to children and youngsters with disabilities.

Partner organisations include:

non-governmental organisations;
faith-based organisations;
community-based organisations;
disabled people organisations.

These Partner Organizations have direct and close contact with local communities and their children. The Liliane Foundation contributes to the programmes of partner organisations for Direct Child Assistance, because they are most suitable to provide Direct Child Assistance at a local level.Mediators
The focal persons within the Partner Organizations are called mediators. They are in direct contact with the children. They often have a professional background as a social worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or nurse. The mediators are employees of the Partner Organisations. Their work for the Liliane Foundation is generally integrated into their regular job.

The mediator has several responsibilities:

home visits to children;
the development of an individual rehabilitation plan in cooperation with parents and, if possible, child;
supervision of the rehabilitation process and provision of support and advice to the caregivers.

Active involvement of the parents/caregivers in the rehabilitation of the child is essential. Mediators always request parents to cooperate and contribute in cash or in-kind to the child’s rehabilitation. The parents/caregivers remain responsible for the child; the mediator is their point of support.In cooperation with Mediators & Partners Organization the Liliane Foundation offers help to children and adolescents with a disability in developing countries. Attention is paid to all factors that influence their well-being. The aid is aimed at making them more able-bodied and strengthening their resilience, developing their self-awareness and enhancing their personal and social capabilities. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to get the child to (re)connect to his/her environment; that he/she no longer watches from the side lines, but is an active member of the family, local community and society.

Organizations that are interested in becoming a partner of the Liliane Foundation can contact us at the following address with a letter of intent and a brief description of your organization and activities involving persons with disabilities.