Copperbelt Services

We drove up to the Copperbelt area on Monday and will spend Monday and Tuesday here touring and visiting with the few disability programs in this area. Yesterday while Sandy was at Mission Press I went to visit three programs. One was what they call a "hostel" for about 6 women with disabilities who are able to "support themselves" by making goods and selling them. Another program was a residential school for young adults ages 15 - 30 and then the third was a program for children, again a residential school.

One woman I met, Helen, who was selling chips and sweets at a stand outside her house asked me, "How do people with disabilities live in America?" I was stumbling to answer that. Because, if I were in the US I would answer it differently then in the context of how this woman was living in Africa. She has challenged me to think about the cultural relevance of services and the context. As we think about the training for the Zambian team it will be important to challenge the way we think about disability services in the US.

I have been heartstruck by the way in which children and adults with disabilities live in Zambia. You have to think about the worst of possible services in the US 30 years ago and that is best practice here now. There is hope but there is little money and no empowerment of people with disabilities.

Our work together is hope for the future. More later.

Amy