Project Summary
People with visual impairment are stigmatized and discriminated by the community in Tanzania;and therefore their needs are given little attention.Dodoma is the leading region with higher number of visually impaired persons in Tanzania because of trachoma infection.It is estimated 32%of entire population of people with disabilities were found to be persons with visual disability.In this project the Bible Society of Tanzania wants to address one of these challenges, which is to provide them with user friendly Scripture materials for them to read and listen.;so as the Word of God may transform their life.In implementing this project the Bible Society of Tanzania intends to distribute Braille Bible portions and Audio Bibles to 21,000 people with visual disabilities from January to December,2019.
Reason for Ranking
This program will help many visualy disabled people particularly in rural areas to know Christ. It is also in line with the Philadelphia Promise that emphasizes reaching all audiences including those with disabilities with the Word of God.
“They were all excited, because each one of them heard the believers speaking in his or her own language.” Acts 2:6b
Project Goal
Goal.
- People with visual Disabilities (PVDs) about 21,000 in Dodoma rural area to be reached by the word of God and their life get transformed.
Objectives.
- To produce and distribute 10,000 Braille Bible portions to people with Visual Disabilities.
- To provide 11,000 Audio Bible to those who are not literate in Braille.
Project goal’s relationship to overall bible society strategy
The Bible Society of Tanzania strategic objective is to make Scriptures available to all Tanzanian to help them to transform their lives. In the Bible Society of Tanzania strategic objective people with visual disabilities are among the targeted audiences; therefore, implementation of this project as Scripture distribution is to achieve one of the strategic focuses of the Bible Society of Tanzania . This program will be implemented as one of the Good Samaritan projects among Bible Society of Tanzania programs on Biblical perspective. In implementing the Good Samaritan program; experience from the field showed that people with visual disability had no access the Word of God because they had not been provided with the relevant and appropriate Bible material (Braille) – be it Braille or Audio Scriptures.
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Strategic Fit
Connecting your project to your Bible Society’s overall mission strategy
How does your project relate to the Philadelphia Promise?
This project target visually disabled persons who are also one of the targeted audiences as is in the Philadelphia Promise commitment one; “helping all people have and engage with the Bible”.
About the beneficiaries
How did you arrive at your beneficiary impact number?
The total number of the visually impaired persons in project area is 41,985. For easy implementation of the project, the Bible Society of Tanzania chose 50% of total number of the visually impaired persons in this specified period of the project.
Beneficiary focus
41,985 which is 32% of the entire population of people with disabilities were found to be persons with visual disability.Many visually impaired persons live in rural areas. They cannot afford to access Braille Bible portions. Therefore there is a need to find the solution on how to help them to get Braille Bibles portions.
How have the needs and perspective of the beneficiaries helped shape the design of the project?
Visually impaired Persons have been a marginalized community; many blind persons have experienced quite a number of obstacles to full inclusion in their religious/spiritual communities. From research PVDs say; “We have had less access to the collection plate; hymnals, textbooks, Sunday bulletins, newsletters, and other printed materials; transportation; social activities; teaching and leading opportunities. But most of all, we lack being accepted as equals to other members of the community” (https://nfb.org/Images/nfb/Pub…)
National Context
According to the Population and Housing Census 2012; 8% of the population were people with disabilities ( PWD’s). Dodoma region had 2.08 million people out of which 130,400 were people with disabilities. 41,985 which is 32% of the entire population of people with disabilities were found to be persons with visual disability (Kondoa 5,588, Mpwapwa 5,275, Kongwa 4,869, Chamwino 8196, Dodoma Municipal 7039, Bahi 5681 and Chemba District 5067).
Need
The Bible Society of Tanzania learned that there are indeed many People with Visual Disabilities in Dodoma region. People with disabilities needs attention to their challenges.In this project the Bible Society of Tanzania wants to address one of these challenges, which is to provide them with user friendly Scripture materials for them to read and listen. Society’s intervention of the challenges that people with disabilities face is low because they are marginalized. The government and some of the Non-governmental organizations are taking different initiatives to address these challenges.The Bible Society of Tanzania is one of the few organizations taking these such initiatives.
How this project will help the beneficiaries
They will have access to Scriptures.
They will be nurtured by the Word of God.
Non-Christian People with Visual Disabilities will have the opportunity to encounter with the Word of God.
The word of God will transform their lives.
Scripture & Prayer
Key Verse
Leviticus 19:14 Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block infront of the blind,but fear your God. I am the Lord
Prayer points
Pray for funding of this project.
Pray for proper implementation of this project.
Project Activities
Project activities
- To identify people who are Visually impaired in collaboration with partners :- Local government, Churches and organisations of Persons with visual disability. (January- March 2019).
- To order and produce braille and Visual materials (January-May 2019)
- To sensitize Disabled Persons Organizations and partners for collaboration during implementation of the project (February-May 2019)
- To distribute Audio Bibles to the PVDs (June-October 2019)
- To distribute Braille Bibles to the PVDs (June-October 2019)
- To encourage the formulation of Bible reading groups among Persons with Visual Disability and equip church leaders with skills of teaching Bibles to person with visual disability.
- To conduct follow up and collect testimonies, photos and other information for report writing. (November 2019)
- To evaluate the program and create progress reports in collaboration with partners (November 2019)
- To prepare end of year report and reporting. (December 2019)
Project partners
- The Church and Disabled Persons Organization will identify the beneficiaries and help in distribution of the Scripture materials.
- Donors will provide funding for printing Braille and buying digital audio devices.
- The Bible Society of Tanzania will provide the Scriptures and follow-up.