THE AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (SURVEY IN NAMIBIA), A RESEARCH PROJECT TOPIC ON PSYCHOLOGY
ABSTRACT
This bachelor’s thesis is a part of a development and co-operation process associated with Finnish and Namibian municipalities Ondangwa, Lempäälä, Keetmanshoop and Kangasala: Partnership for Local Democracy & Development and Social Innovation (PLDDSI). The purpose of this study was to survey the Namibian legislation regarding assistive devices for people with disabilities and how the legislation was implemented in daily living. The objective of this study was to produce a written report for the thesis’ partner in co-operation, the municipality of Lempäälä, about the information gathered through interviews and observations in Namibia. This information will be beneficial for the future development work in Namibia.
The basic method that was used in this study was theme interviews. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative methods of research. The process started in the fall of 2011 by data acquisition, and the field work in Namibia occurred in the spring of 2012. During the field work we interviewed different groups of professionals that were associ-ated with assistive devices in Namibia.
Based on our research it is clear that the implementation of the legislation about assistive devices does not function properly in practice. The problems occur in various areas, for example in the availability of wheelchairs and in the number of maintenance ser-vices for assistive devices. The situation with children’s assistive devices is clearly the worst. The problems are partly a result from the centralization of the services to the cap-ital city, and because of the difficulties in co-operation between the government, regions and municipalities. This hinders the chances for people with disabilities to have an ac-tive role in society.
Namibia will benefit from a local company that would be manufacturing and repairing wheelchairs. In the northern region of Oshakati there is a Norwegian funded Local Re-habilitation Workshop (Lorewo) that is manufacturing wheelchairs, but its supply does not cover whole Namibia’s demand. A local wheelchair company would create jobs for Namibians and it would make it possible to design wheelchairs that are specifically made to function in Namibian environment. The implementation of the legislation must also be developed and more financial resources should be arranged for it. However, Namibia has been independent only for twenty-two years, and the development of a nation, including the implementation of legislations, is a long and slow process.
Key words: assistive device, disability, legislation, Namibia, wheelchair
