1. An empowerment approach to improving the quality of life of children with disabilities and their families in South African townships: Action plan for intervention Jean Elphick (MSc Global Health & Development, University College London, 2011) MaAfrica Tikkun

2. Background In the 17 years post-Apartheid, South Africa has developed one of the most enabling constitutions in the world. However, service provision and societal attitudes have been slow to change in line with policy. The lives of children with disabilities and their families continue to be characterised by unacceptable levels of on-going human rights violations, discrimination and exclusion. An action plan for intervention is currently being developed and will be implemented through an established South African NGO, MaAfrika Tikkun, from September 2011.

4. Ubiquitous sexual violence and abuse

5. Difficulty in accessing an education

6. Difficulty in accessing health care

7. Years of waiting for basic assistive devices

8. Protracted social grant application process

9. Inaccessible, disabling township environments

12. Developing an action plan strategy Mission To provide community-based family-centred support to educate and empower families of children with disabilities to act as agents of change within their homes, community and country by providing the tools to access resources available to help them and campaign for change where services, systems and attitudes exclude children with disabilities

14. Development of an enabling, non-judgmental and inclusive environment within the local community

15. Supporting families to cope with the special needs of their children within activities of daily living

16. Facilitation of access to, and demand for, quality service provision by existing government institutions and other service providers

17. Development of MaAfrikaTikkun as an inclusive organizationTo share your ideas or give input please contact Jean Elphick at jeanelphick@gmail.com www.maafrikatikkun.org.za These pictures were taken with informed consent, please do not reproduce them without permission