Working towards Social inclusion of people with Disabilities: INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF THE DEAF

FCS supported the international week of the deaf commemoration from 20th to 26th September 2021 in Mwanza to create awareness and promote inclusiveness about deaf people in Tanzania. The Tanzania Association of the Deaf (CHAVITA) in commemoration of the International Week of the Deaf, collaborated with Prime Minister Office, President Office- Regional Administration and Local Government and various stakeholders working to promote social inclusion, disability and human rights.

The week promotes the rights of Deaf people and encourage solidarity from the Deaf community and their allies in the United Republic of Tanzania, and is key for organizations and people to make a huge effort for raising awareness about Deaf people and their struggles.

Members of the Deaf community including Families of Deaf people, any professional or accredited sign language interpreters, peers, stakeholders (i.e. the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, human rights organizations, CSO’s and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities) are a part of the commemorations.

Persons with hearing disabilities face a myriad of challenges in the communities and many of them face the challenge of inclusion socially, economically, politically and culturally. The World Federation of the Deaf reports that there are approximately 72 million deaf people worldwide, and 80% of them live in developing countries. The Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) continues to work tirelessly for the inclusion of people with disabilities, including the deaf, through capacity building of their organizations and provision of grants to support and advocate for their rights.

FCS has been working with People with disabilities since our inception in 2002 through grants and capacity building to raise their voices, advocate their rights and work for an inclusive community with representation at national as well as grassroots levels. In the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan where FCS prioritized marginalized groups, like dispensing more than half of the available funds to implement projects that will improve the lives of people with disabilities. In 2018 FCS funded ten Disabled People Organizations, and in 2019, FCS have supported 15 organizations to implement programmes to improve the use of sign language among other challenges that persons with hearing disabilities people face

CHAVITA has worked with FCS to implement interventions that support inclusion for people with disabilities, particularly those with hearing disabilities in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. In 2019, FCS has issued Sh200 million to 15 CSOs in 14 regions across Tanzania.

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