Disabled people receive easy-to-read guides in Ethiopia

People with disabilities and chronic diseases in low and middle-income income countries are especially vulnerable to the risks of the current health crisis.  To mitigate these risks, the European cooperation project, Bridging the Gap, has translated a guide into two local Ethiopian languages, Amharic and Somali, which includes easy-to-read COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines. The guide is being produced by non-profit organisation Chosen Power (People First Hong Kong). 

 This guide helps disabled people better understand COVID19 and take the necessary safety measures to prevent and contain the disease. This is an easy-to-read document, written with clear, simple language to make it intelligible to people with intellectual, cognitive disabilities and understanding difficulties.  

A total of 2,500 hard copies have been delivered to offices of the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) for distribution to those who need them. A total of 1,500 copies of the guide in Amharic were delivered to the Ministry of Social Affairs in the country’s capital, Addis Ababa; 500 copies in Amharic to the Amhara office, and a further 500 in Somali to the Somali regional office. The guides are also available on-line. 

FIIAP helps to manage Bridging the Gap, which promotes fairer and more inclusive policies in low and middle income countries in Africa and Latin America. This initiative is part of its plan to address COVID19. The project is working to reach as many people as possible with the information and to give access to disabled people.