Pambazuka Africa

Incorporated in Minnesota 4/30/2010

Narrative description of activities:

Pambazuka Africa was founded exclusively for charitable and educational activities. Specifically, Pambazuka Africa will assist people with physical and cognitive disabilities in East Africa with access to resources related to education, rehabilitation, and healthcare. This organization has also been providing logistical and financial assistance for healthcare, equipment, and rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities in this area since 2007. The work of Pambazuka Africa has beganun in Karatu, Tanzania, and we plan to will continue in this community and eventually grow into other areas of East Africa as well.

Problem: People with disabilities and their families living in rural areas of East Africa are struggling due to a lack of access to resources. Children with disabilities are deprived of education due to their inability to attend local schools, and healthcare and rehabilitation services are out of reach of those living in remote areas.

Who: People with physical and cognitive disabilities and their families and caregivers in East Africa.

What: Beginning with a small special education school in Karatu, Tanzania. This site will grow into a resource center for children and adults with disabilities. At this site, we will conduct caregiver education on preventative healthcare and the benefits of rehabilitation. We will provide assistance with access to corrective surgeries as appropriate, rehabilitation, and equipment to aid in independence.

Where: Pambazuka Africa will begin working in Karatu, Tanzania, and spread into the greater East African community.

When: Pambazuka Africa will continue the work that our members have started immediately.

Why: People with disabilities living in poverty in East Africa need assistance in order to reach their full potentials in life.

Specific Activities:

  1. Fundraising:
  2. Pambazuka Africa has been fundraising through individual, mail, and email solicitation for individual needs of people with disabilities in Karatu, Tanzania since November 2007. The organization will continue to use those methods of fundraising, as well as benefit events and auctions for fundraising. Fundraising will take place in the United States and in areas of East Africa in which the organization is working. Fundraising will take approximately 20% of the organization’s time.
  1. Special Education:
  2. Pambazuka Africa will open a small special education center school in Karatu, Tanzania for children who are unable to attend local schools due to their disabilities. This organization will also assist children with disabilities to attend community schools as appropriate. This activity will take approximately 20% of the organization’s time.
  1. Caregiver seminars:
  2. Since November of 2007, the organization has been conducting educational seminars for caregivers of people with disabilities in Karatu, Tanzania. These seminars provide education on preventative healthcare for people with disabilities. Future seminars will continue this healthcare education and will also provide education and support to families on physical and cognitive rehabilitation. This activity will take approximately 20% of this organization’s time.
  1. Equipment assistance
  2. Since November of 2007, this organization has provided financial and logistical assistance for equipment needs of individuals with disabilities in Karatu, Tanzania. . Equipment needs include prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and a sewing machine. Pambazuka Africa will continue to provide equipment such as prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and sewing machines for individuals in order to increase their independence. The activity will take approximately 15% of this organization’s time.
  1. Healthcare assistance:
  2. Since November 2007, this organization has provided logistical and financial assistance with access to healthcare, including corrective surgeries. At the caregiver seminars, individual assessments are conducted on each attendee to assess for immediate healthcare needs. The organization will continue to provide logistical and financial assistance for healthcare needs. The activity will take approximately
  3. 15% of the organization’s time.
  4. Spiritual support:
  5. Since November of 2007, Pambazuka Africa has supported the local pastor in Karatu, Tanzania, who serves the people with disabilities in the district. The organization provided financial assistance for the pastor to attend a Clinical Pastoral Education course. At the caregiver seminars and home visits, the organization provides prayer and spiritual support to people with disabilities and their families. This activity will take approximately 10% of the organization’s time.

Mission Statement:

The word Pambazuka is used in Swahili to describe dawning of the first hint of light at sunrise. The mission of Pambazuka Africa is to help bring light to the future of people with disabilities in East Africa, by providing them with practical resources and skills, and sharing the Love of the Lord. Our plan is to continue our work in Karatu, Tanzania, and eventually spread our services to the greater East African community. Many people in this area do not have the resources to help their family members with disabilities to reach their full potentials, and families caring for people with disabilities are often in desperate need of assistance. Our mission is to educate and assist these families in the areas of healthcare, rehabilitation, and education, while providing spiritual support through prayer in order to help them see a future that is made brighter by the light of Christ.

Specific Objectives:

  1. Healthcare: To educate people in East Africa about the specific healthcare needs of people with disabilities.
  2. Continue to offer caregiver seminars focused on preventative care.
  3. Provide assistance determining the need for immediate medical care.
  4. Provide education about corrective surgeries and assistance to families in networking with other non-profit organizations with access to surgical care.
  5. Rehabilitation: Educating families on how they can help their family members with disabilities to reach their full functional potentials.
  6. Provide assistance with the costs, coordination, and follow-up care of equipment such as prosthetic limbs, braces, adaptive equipment, and wheelchairs in order to increase independence.
  7. Include families in rehabilitation so that that progress continues at home.
  8. Provide respite and support for families of children with disabilities by providing necessary care and supervision at school.
  9. Education: To provide a healthy educational environment for children with physical and cognitive disabilities in East Africa to help them reach their full cognitive potentials.
  10. A special education center will serve children with cognitive disabilities requiring an individual education plan.
  11. For children with physical disabilities, Pambazuka will attempt to create opportunities for integration into the community school system, and create alternative education plans if this is not possible.
  12. Establish a resource center as site for caregiver seminars, rehabilitation, and networking for families of people with disabilities.

Goods or Services:

Pambazuka Africa will provide financial assistance for specific goods and services related to healthcare, rehabilitation, and education. Goods will include healthcare supplies, equipment, prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and special education supplies. Services will include special education classes, healthcare education seminars, and assistance with transportation to services.