Abstract:
Background: Governments of poor countries can’t afford to cater for Institution-Based Rehabilitation (IBR) services. Thus most adopted the alternative approach which is Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR). Hence, Ethiopia adapted the International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) oriented CBR strategy in 1994. The over two decades’ experience of CBR program showed it cannot be effective without the direct involvement of mothers of children with disability. However, the challenges mothers face in the process are often unknown.
Objective: This study was conducted to explore the challenges experienced by mothers of children with disabilities in Fiche CBR program, Ethiopia.
Methods: The method was qualitative study based on in-depth interview and observation. The sixteen mothers were selected with purposive sampling method. The interview responses of all the participants was digitally recorded, verbatim transcribed and edited, thematically analyzed after coded and categorized using Open Code Version 4.2 Software.
Results: providing basic needs, giving care and support to a family, and at the same time directly involving in CBR implementation process to improve the quality of lives of their children with disability had economic, social discrimination, home life workload and physical and psychosocial stresses.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The burden and challenges faced by the mothers of children with disability were poverty, social stigma, home life work load, and, physical and psychosocial stresses. The burden and challenges are very heavy on all and life-threatening to a few of the mothers of children with disability. More research at different community contexts is recommended to inform planning and implementation of comprehensive CBR program.
......................................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library