Back ground

Community Based Rehabilitation Alliance (COMBRA) is an indigenous, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1990. COMBRA is committed to building the capacity of personnel working with people with disabilities in the community.

Vision

COMBRA envisions a world where all people with disabilities have equal opportunities in society.

Mission

To empower communities for effective main streaming of persons with disabilities in development programmes using community based rehabilitation approach for sustainable development.

In order to achieve this mission, COMBRA has community volunteers that help to identify clients with disabilities and after the COMBRA staff go there for community visits and identify the various disabilities these people have, provide assistive devices and organize workshops for the care takers and teach them the special needs of the PWDs (Persons with Disabilities)

One of the COMBRA clients during a community visit

Objectives

·        An enhanced capacity for delivery of community based  rehabilitation services

·        A strong national and international image developed

·        A workshop for production of assistive devices for persons with disabilities. COMBRA has been able to achieve this through availing a fully stocked workshop to the community. We have a variety of tools and local materials that are used in the making of Assistive devices such as clutches, walking sticks, toilet seats etc.

COMBRA workshop

 

·        CBR programmes developed and implemented

Shared Values

The shared values of COMBRA aim to offer committed services to her clientele. This is achieved through practicing a high level of commitment, team work, transparency, accountability and innovativeness.

How is the physical appearance of COMBRA now?

COMBRA has got various assets on it and these include buildings.

It has got an administration block which comprises of COMBRA offices, a resource center- board room and a lecture room to which students occupy during the CBR course.

COMBRA administration block

COMBRA has fully self contained accommodation buildings (hostel). These include the Old Hostel where CBR students sleep during the CBR course study and the New Hostel which is mainly an accommodation facility for the public at a respective fee. I prefer the New Hostel because of its classic furnishing and more especially the self contained rooms that are outstanding and obtain privacy.

COMBRA also has another building to which Motivation Trust and UNAC offices are located.

Old Hostel, UNAC and Motivation Trust office buildings

It’s got a main hall that accommodates 5oo people and in most cases people hire this hall for various activities that is to say; church services, functions, etc. there is also ample space parking.

Main Hall (Maria Kangere Hall)

 

The beauty about this hall is that once its hired you are given 100 executive chairs, 100 armed chairs and tables. One can also chose to hire the music system also from COMBRA.

COMBRA has well furnished gardens with enough shade and flowers with cool breeze and a conducive environment. These gardens add on the beauty of the Organization and they can as well be hired for functions.

In addition to the above we have a fully stocked kitchen where by people also come in for its hire.

COMBRA gardens

Tip

It’s wise for one to give a full function to COMBRA for it can offer all the services starting with the venue, music system, decoration and food.

Wedding preparations in the COMBRA Hall

 

COMBRA also gives internship placements to students from various Universities. Two internees from Uganda Christian University that are running their internship at COMBRA.  

They say “Community Based Rehabilitation Alliance is a well built organized center with a strategy to develop and help the people with disabilities among others in the community. It has encouraging, hardworking staff that have endeavored to reach the community and tries to reach the people with disabilities in order to improve on their living and these wonderful people have endeavored hard to facilitate us with adequate knowledge and skills on how to handle the people with disabilities.

I have met different kinds of interesting people at COMBRA. People with visual impairments who at first I thought they were just shy to look me in the eye.

COMBRA has wonderful interesting people that have tried to help me reach my expectations. I expect to learn more about the people with disabilities and get new friends from the COMBRA family.

I have acquired skills in article writing during the Writing Skills workshop which was hosted recently at COMBRA and I was among the people that attended this workshop and am so glad and humbled that at its completion I acquired a certificate of participation.

Last but not least, I thank COMBRA as an organization for giving me an opportunity to involve myself in its educative activities and helping me go to another level in my education career.

By Walugembe Mouxin

Student UCU

BPAM

 

COMBRA has provided us with essential skills on how best to handle and take care of the parents with disabilities and how to interact with them.

COMBRA also hosted a Writing Skills workshop in which we benefited a lot. I love COMBRA because of the green scenery around, the quiet environment that facilitates work and encourages endurance.

COMBRA is hospitable and the staff gives a positive attitude to both fellow workmates, visitors and even us the internship students and this has greatly emphasized team work and hard work.

With the expectations we had majority of them have been fulfilled as they included, acquiring skills and knowledge.

The challenge at hand at COMBRA is that COMBRA has only one vehicle which is used by both the Executive Director and as transport means to the rest of the organization; as this greatly affected our field operations within the communities. I pray and hope this will be solved.

By Baguma Paul

Student UCU

BPAM

Internship students in the Resource Center carrying out research.

Come to COMBRA you will not remain the same. COMBRA has a small working staff but very hardworking and maximum teamwork and very hospitable and welcoming. Come experience a new life at COMBRA.

Compiled by;

Susan Wabalaki

Admin.