BACKGROUND
ZNAPD was founded in 1981 with the objective of fighting for the rights and development of persons with physical disabilities and to be a platform for exchange of information. ZNAPD is affiliated to Zambia Federation of the Disability Organizations.
ZNAPD has been working at grassroots levels to build the capacity of its members to lead independent lives and be able to demand their inclusion in mainstream societal activities. The organization has also played a key role in lobbying for the promulgation of the Persons with Disability Act No.6 of 2012, as well as the National disability policy. Through its community structure, disabled people are reporting improvements in their lives and increased levels of participation in areas where the organization has been active. ZNAPD has been an effective vehicle for sensitizing the community on disability issues. The organization has been running economic empowerment programs for its members in various communities.
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The organization is engaged in working with persons with disabilities, identifying them and mobilizing them into groups and educating them on their rights as well as how to build strong groups with proper structures to affiliate to the organization. Members are educated on local and international instruments that promote their interests.
The organization is also involved in advocacy and lobbying. The national structures of the organization as well as those at community levels are trained on how to engage with the local leaders and other development agencies to seek access to services and to be included in mainstream development programs. One other key component is the raising of awareness on disability issues across all levels of the society.
The organization is also promoting the education and empowerment of persons with disabilities so that there is improvement in the literacy and economic status of persons with disabilities.
Our theory of change is based on the outcomes framework or indicators of progress or lack of it. As an organization we benchmark our work through qualitative and quantitative indicators, which we then use for monitoring the progress of our work. As we review our work we assess the effect or impact of our interventions to question if we are doing the right things and if we are using the tools appropriately to achieve our organizational as well as project/program goals.
We measure the changes using various tools and methods, such as focus group discussions and feedback, meeting reports, talking to community leaders and collecting their views and maintaining a register of members and support interventions.