Readdress Inclusion Rights & Empowerment (RIRE) Project:
In 2021, FFF implemented a core mental health project tagged “Readdress Inclusion Rights & Empowerment (RIRE) project under the Inclusive Build-Back Better micro grants of Pan African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities (PANPPD) with support of Open Society Foundations (OSF) and International Disability Alliance (IDA).
The interest of FFF in Psychosocial disability stemmed from the fact that mental health is rarely acknowledged or spoken about within the disability community and in the wider society. FFF has also paid keen attention to mental health and wellbeing of people with complex physical disabilities such as SBH since it was established. The four-month advocacy project:
• Heightened media awareness and demystified profound cultural and spiritual stigmas associated with mental health.
• Provided a baseline assesement of the impact of Covid-19 on Persons with Psychosocial disabilities.
• Generated talking points among relevant stakeholders on the plights of Persons with Psychosocial disabilities (PPDs) during Covid-19, mitigation against the challenges and their inclusion post Covid era.
• Establishment of an advocacy network among PPDs and other disabilities to sustain conversation and awareness about Psychosocial disability.