Telerehabilitation pilot for Community-Based Rehabilitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Short description
An app to enhance the rehabilitation knowledge, skills, and planning of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers caring for children and youth with disabilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Location: Democratic Republic of Congo
Status: Sep 2024 to Mar 2026
Theme: Rehabilitation

In collaboration with:
– Enablement
– ADED

Funding: Fund for Innovation in Development

Introduction

The project is a collaborative initiative led by Liliane Fonds in partnership with Enablement and Appui au Développement de l’Enfant en Détresse (ADED-RDC). Supported by the Fund for Innovation in Development, a funding instrument of the Agence Francais de Development (AFD), the project aims to strengthen the rehabilitation knowledge, skills, and planning capabilities of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers in caring for children and youth with disabilities, as well as their families, in the Uvira region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

By researching the use of an app called RehApp, the initiative aims to enhance the skills of CBR workers in managing rehabilitation processes. Ultimately, this effort is expected to improve both access to and the quality of rehabilitation services in the region.

Context

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), approximately 10 million people—around 15% of the population—live with disabilities. Despite governmental efforts, including the establishment of a national Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program in 2019, significant barriers to accessing rehabilitation services persist. Challenges such as a shortage of skilled CBR workers and limited access to essential healthcare services are particularly acute in underdeveloped and conflict-affected areas like Uvira.

Liliane Fonds employs the CBR approach, a holistic model that prioritizes the well-being of children and young people with disabilities. Through this method, the goal is to make rehabilitation knowledge and skills accessible at the community level, leveraging existing community resources.

For more information about the CBR approach, visit this page

A previous study conducted by Liliane Fonds and ADED-RDC in the Uvira region revealed that 76% of individuals with disabilities had not received any rehabilitation services, and 47% had never undergone a medical examination.

In this context, improving and expanding CBR practices in eastern DRC is essential to meeting the needs of people with disabilities and strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers.

CBR worker in Zambia (ZECREP) © Photo: Liliane Fonds

CBR worker in Zambia (ZECREP) © Photo: Liliane Fonds

Project goals

The aim of this research project is to test if the application can enhance the quality of life for children and youth with disabilities. Through this research, the project seeks to provide evidence on the effectiveness of digital tools in improving rehabilitation services in under-resourced regions.

Innovation

The project consortium seeks to improve the skills of CBR workers in the Uvira region through the use of the RehApp mobile application on smartphones and accompanied with solar chargers. Developed since 2015, RehApp is designed to provide CBR workers with essential knowledge about various disabilities and offer tools for making plan, follow-up and management of interventions for a child or youth with a disability and their family.

The project will train 37 CBR workers in the use of RehApp version 2.0, launched in 2022. This updated version features an interactive interface, available in seven languages and accessible offline.

Key features of RehApp include:

1. An ‘Informative’ section with expert-curated content on 22 types of disabilities.
2. A ‘Client’ section for tracking and managing the progress of children and youth with disabilities.
3. A management information system that connects various stakeholders (e.g., family members, CBR workers, therapists, and program coordinators) to facilitate coordination and improve services and programs.

Expected results

Using the RehApp app will enable conclusive data about using an innovative tool to be collected to meet needs related to rehabilitation.

It aims to improve the care arranged by Community Based Rehabilitation officers for children and young people with disabilities. In addition, the app should enable Community Based Rehabilitation workers’ skills to be improved, and as such enable services related to health & rehabilitation, education, livelihood, social support and empowerment to be provided for children and young people with disabilities.

Utilizing the outcomes

Successful implementation could lead to scaling the app across other regions of the DRC and similar low- and middle-income countries, supporting rehabilitation services globally, especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas.