/ Programmes / Disability

Rehabilitation of Afghans with Disabilities (RAD)

RAD is a Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme for persons with disabilities. In 1991 a disability programme was started under UN management known as the Comprehensive Disabled Afghan’s Programme (CDAP), and SCA gradually became responsible for the implementation of the programme in 10 provinces of Afghanistan. In 2004 the programme was handed over to SCA completely: the north-east - Takhar, Badakshan, Kunduz, Baghlan; the north - Samangan, Balkh, Jawzjan; the south - Ghazni, Logar and Wardak. The programme was then re-named RAD. In 2006 the programme expanded to 3 more provinces in eastern Afghanistan - Nangarhar, Laghman and Kunar when it merged with the British disability NGO, Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal (SGAA).

The programme is now implemented in 40 districts in the four regions with over 500 national staff, 2 expatriate staff, 590 community volunteers and 116 community based support committees. RAD’s regional project offices are based in Taloqan, Mazar-e-Sharif, Ghazni and Jalalabad and are responsible for daily running of the programme. In Kabul there is a Technical Support Unit at SCA’s Kabul Management Office which provides support for the programme as well as advocacy on a national level with government and other stakeholders.

Community Based Rehabilitation

Community Based Rehabilitation is a strategy endorsed by WHO and the UN which seeks to promote the rights of disabled people to full participation and access to development in all sectors of society. In its CBR programme RAD seeks to pay special attention to children and women with disabilities, and make sure that the rural and the poor populations are included in the programme.

When the programme started in the 1990s there were very few services available in Afghanistan for the disabled so physical rehabilitation was given a priority so RAD established orthopaedic workshops and physiotherapy centres and trained the technical staff required. Over the years other components were added on so that today the programme consists of six components: Orthopaedic Workshops, Physiotherapy, Special Education, Employment Support, Community Mobilisation, and Awareness and Advocacy.

For all of these components RAD has trained Afghan national staff to run the programme with minimal expatriate management.