Partnership Impact:
Since 2022, the CareTech Foundation has been proud to partner with Sense International to deliver a pioneering project supporting children with deafblindness and complex disabilities in Tanzania.
The need is critical. In Tanzania, routine screening for sensory impairments is not part of the national healthcare system. This leaves thousands of children at risk of late diagnosis and families without the support they desperately need.
To address this gap, our partnership set out to screen 86,000 infants in Dar-es-Salaam- one of the country’s most densely populated cities where poverty levels are high- to create pathways for early intervention support.
In three years, the project has delivered beyond its targets and made an extraordinary impact on children, families and communities:
- 86,492 children screened for sight and hearing impairments
- 383 children enrolled in early intervention services for deafblindness and complex disabilities
- 1,000 additional children identified and referred for specialist eye and hearing care
- 78 healthcare professionals trained across 24 health centres and hospitals
- 4 new early intervention therapy units established for children aged five and under
Through these services, children are learning vital skills such as sitting, walking and vocalising. This builds confidence and gives them the best chance of being able to attend school.
The true impact of the project is best seen through the children and families it has supported:
Samrani’s parents were worried when he began missing developmental milestones and feared what his future might hold. Through the screening project, he was diagnosed with cerebral Palsy and referred to early intervention services. With the support of an occupational therapist and training for his parents, Samrani is now learning movement and communication skills which allow him to engage with the world around him.
His Mother shared: ‘I have learnt so much, and I can see real changes in his abilities. I feel more hopeful and less afraid.’
The success of this project has demonstrated a clear and urgent need for nationwide services to support children with deafblindness and complex disabilities. Sense International now aims to work alongside the Tanzanian government to embed these life-changing screenings and interventions into the healthcare system, ensuring that more children and families can access the support they need in the years ahead.
'We are grateful for the support of CareTech Foundation in enabling us to provide these essential screening and early intervention services. Children with deafblindness often miss out on support in their early years to help them communicate, move around and build independence. With transformational partnerships like these, we can work together to ensure they get the best start in life and can achieve their full potential.'
'We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to fund this three year screening programme as the initial funder to help provide essential services and support to so many families. The work of Sense International in Tanzania is crucial towards inspiring a generation of children who will become independent adults, contributing towards the national economy. No disability should hold someone back and we are delighted to have partnered with Sense International who hold this belief, as we do. These interventions will continue to make a positive impact for years to come.'
