Scuba diving for people with disabilities: Endless possibilities.
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Country: Colombia
Organization: Centro Integral de Rehabilitación de Colombia.
Sport: Other
Year the initative began (yyyy) 2007
Project URL: http://www.cirec.org
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? To provide people that have suffered from serious injuries caused by mines the possibility of discovering that they have their own capacities.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? This model is unique because we use scuba diving as a way of empowering disable people. Disable people face prejudices imposed by society and by themselves.
Young people practicing scuba diving come from rural areas and most of them have suffered from injuries coused by mines. We give them the possibility of facing their own fears and prejudices by experimenting with new capacities. What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change? We are trying to bring a solution to the prejudicies that are imposed by society and also by themselves. In particular the program focues on victims of anti-person mines.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? They come from different rural areas in Colombia. We focus first on proving them with the theoretical knowledge and tools to undetsand the challenges of practicing scuba diving. We also focus on the psicological aspects since most of these people have serious disabilities. The next step is to practice all this knowledge in a swimming pool and right after that we go to the sea. Youth are constantly challenged and through this process they understand that they are empowered and they have skills that can be put into practiced.
How do you plan to grow your innovation? In order to make sure that the innovation will growth we need to start working with a bigger population. A part from giving continuity to the process we need to focus on reaching out more people. We need the financial and logistical support to be able to reach more people. This is the most innovative approach to the victims of personal landmines in Colombia.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. People with disabilities will acquire and understand that they have capacities and skills. Recognizing this fact will turn them into real leaders.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries? The program has served 40 young people victims of landmines, or congenital disabilities. The age of the beneficiaries goes from 13 years old to 18. Most of them come from low-income families from rural areas affected by political violence.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation? A part from the those who are victims of landmines, we have worked very close with the children of those leader fighting against personal landmines in different parts of the country. These young people will follow the steps of their parents.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact? We lack the funding to reach more people.
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? We are being supported by the Centro Integral de Rehabilitación de Colombia, which a non-profit organization that receives funding from the private sector and the government. They focus on proviing services to people with disabilities.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization. This field has not been completed
What is the potential demand for your innovation? All those young people victims of landmines and people living with physical disabilities can benefit from our program.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? Funding is very unstable during time and the resources are not enough.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. The initiative started within the framework of a program called CIREC-Sembrarte. The program was focused on proving people with disabilities the skills to became real leaders in their communities.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material. Jeannete Perry de Saravia founded CIREC in 1976. She has dedicated most of her life to serve Colombians with disabilities. From 1976 CIREC has served thousensads of Colombians victims of political violence. CIREC have a comprehensive approach that also includes the manufacturing of innovative prosthesis with Colombian materials.
Contact Information:
Andres Martinez
Psychologist Centro Integral de Rehabilitación de Colombia. (Non profit organization) Discussions about this entry |
