Stimulation kit and training for caregivers

The Ndinogona Stimulation Kit provides caregivers with tools, resources, and training to play with and stimulate children with disabilities, allowing them to participate in everyday activities. The kit includes four-colour-coded bags containing all the needed toys and assistive devices for facilitating participation. A manual illustrates over 100 activities and songs.

Problems Targeted

Because of the many misconceptions and prejudices associated with children with disabilities, such chidlren are often exposed to stigmatisation. In addition, they have very little acces to stimulation or appropriate activities, as most caregivers do not have the adequate ressources and knowledge to properly address their needs. All of this leads to isolation. Few solutions on the market are inclusive or aimed at children with a variety of disabilities, nor do they foster the promotion and development of caregiver and parent empowerment. Ndinogona training is community based, flexible, and has been successfully delivered to groups with various levels of education.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Caregivers are trained over 24 hours, which is spread over either five days or eight weeks depending on the centre’s location, the caregiver’s own time pressures, and training availability. During training, each participant receives a manual that contains all the information covered during the training. Training time is divided into theory and practical sessions. During a theory lesson, caregivers learn about different types of disabilities, how to communicate with children in various ways, and how to adjust activities for a specific child’s needs. During a practical session, caregivers and facilitators work together to practice the theory that they have learned through role play, as well work with actual children to practice the activities learned. The Ndinogona Kit exposes children with disabilities to all areas of daily living, including basic needs, personal hygiene, play, learning, and social skills.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The plan is to expand the number of centres to 180 over 2015 and 2016, to be spread throughout all nine provinces of South Africa. One such centre can cater to anywhere from eight to 90 or more children. Three additional facilitators were trained and employed by the project during 2015, and even more trainers/associates will be trained in 2016. The second edition of the Ndinogona manual will have an expanded section on home-made toys, adjustments to activities based on user input, and will be translated into both Afrikaans and Xhosa (home language to a large demographic of caregivers and parents in South Africa).