Disability-led centres providing a range of services for independent living

FOH centres are run entirely by people with disabilities and aims to offer comprehensive services for such people in their home and throughout their daily lives. In 2017, 47 homes were adapted, 223 people were provided with transport, 120 people took part in sport or the arts, and 2,435 assistive devices were provided.

Problems Targeted

People in Lebanon with a physical disability or visual impairment may find it difficult to live independently due to a lack of accessible infrastructure, assistive equipment, and a support system.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

FOH is run entirely by people with disabilities and aims to offer comprehensive services for such people in their home and throughout their daily lives. The organization’s four independent living centres offer home alteration, four accessible transportation, and a volunteer assistance programme. The centres also offer a health and equipment programme, providing supportive technology such as wheelchairs and Braille machines, along with repairs and training, plus health services in the client’s home. FOH also coordinates additional services, such as health or education, which are provided by other organizations. The centres act as a model of integration and inclusion by providing the infrastructure to enable self-sufficiency. In 2017, transport was provided to 223 people, 2,435 pieces of assistive equipment were provided, and 25 homes were adapted with accessibility features. FOH offers an alternative to institutionalisation for people who are blind or have a physical disability, and this has led to the Tripoli authorities to introduce accessibility measures for public spaces, including buildings, pavements, and parks. All projects implemented by the Tripoli municipality must now include accessibility measures.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

FOH has grown from a group of volunteers in a small apartment in 1986 to four centres across Lebanon in 2018, and it is currently planning to open additional offices in Beirut and the Bequa Valley. In 2017, the project cost US$1 million across all the sites, with over 50 per cent coming from the central government Ministries and the rest from a mixture of UN projects and donations. Replication is further possible by training other organizations in the model, but to be successful it is important for organizations to engage fully with the local community and local government. Another important replication feature is that any new centre must be led and directed by persons with disabilities themselves.