Institutional Development Program

Through the Institutional Development Program (IDP), Perkins works to expand the capacity of organizations of and for the blind in Africa to advocate for opportunities for improved policies and equal participation for blind and visually impaired people. The IDP was established in 1990 with support from Perkins and Sight Savers International as partners with the World Blind Union and the African Union of the Blind. 

The IDP works to empower blind and partially-sighted people to participate fully in their communities by:

• Developing leadership skills and training at national and community levels
• Building democratic systems of governance for organizations of and for the blind
• Strengthening the capacity of partner organizations to provide a full range of services for the blind and facilitating access to these services
• Building individual and group capacity to advocate for their rights as members of society, including developing and implementing effective advocacy plans
• Facilitating the expansion and ownership for the Africa Forum, the only conference on blindness in Africa

The IDP's flagship training program, known as the Senior Management Institute, is attended by managers, directors, senior personnel, and volunteers from organizations that provide services for the blind. The program addresses topics such as the changing role of people with disabilities in society and new challenges facing managers, leaders and organizations serving this group. 

The IDP has proven to be particularly successful. Between 1989 and 2006, nearly 200 leaders from Africa and the Caribbean trained through the IDP. To date, these leaders have provided services to nearly 17,000 people who are blind.  Recent participants have come from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In each country, Perkins and the IDP work with local agencies to develop programs that will enable them to meet the above goals. Highlights include:

• The Malawi Union of the Blind was recently awarded an outside grant for a project to empower girls who are blind on issues affecting female youth, such as sexuality, hygiene, sports, and children's rights. 
• The Kenya Union of the Blind was awarded a project from the national government to increase voter education and participation of people with disabilities. 
• The Tanzanian League of the Blind regularly holds a series for "Community Negotiation Skills" workshops involving 13 League branches. 

The Africa Forum

The IDP is the central coordinating body of the African Forum, the only continent-wide conference on blindness. The event is a significant opportunity for intra-African networking among organizations, professionals, families, and blind and visually impaired persons. 

Each forum is held in a new location with increasing number of participants. Previous forums have been held in Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya. More than 200 professionals participated in the 2007 forum, Towards a More Inclusive Society. They attended workshops on new technology for the blind and visually impaired, curriculum development, production of Braille, and the teaching of mathematics and science. 

For more information on the IDP and the forum, please visit the IDP website.

Learn more about our other programs in Africa