Professional Exchange Visit - Report

The first phase of the partnership is to accomplish the Professional Exchange visits, first with representative of U.S partner (Initiative for Women with Disabilities) visiting its partners (Treasureland & DPAI) in Nigeria and secondly, representatives of In-Country Partners Team Nigeria visiting U.S partners in New York.

Team Nigeria was the first team to implement the exchange visit and has successfully hosted her U.S partner 'Initiative for Women with Disabilities (IWD)'  represented by Suzanne Hurwitz for the Professional Exchange visit to Lagos, Nigeria.

Thank you to Mobility International USA for such a wonderful opportunity where three different organizations of like-minds were matched together for the first time to achieve a definite goal.

On Day 1, Suzanne Hurwitz arrived Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMA) on Sunday, the 28th of July 2013 and was warmly welcomed at the same Airport by her partner organizations, Treasureland Health Builders Initiative and Disability Policy and Advocacy Initiative. The team was led by Chima Samuel and for the three organizations, it was a dream come true and Suzanne was accompanied to her hotel at Ikeja where she will stay till the end of her visit. 

It was the first time Suzanne was visiting Nigeria and her in-country partners. Therefore Day 2 Monday, was an opportunity for introduction and familiarization both for individuals and the three partner organizations. Who we are, our designations, and our organizational activities etc. This was successfully done at Treasureland main office. Apparently, Suzanne Hurwitz was picked to and from all activities and all through her visit in Lagos Nigeria.

Furthermore, The 8 day visit  agenda was reviewed for proper understanding and there was an orientation and key information about time of event, movement logistics, places to be visited and the Nigerian culture respectively. After which we proceeded to Treasureland Resource Centre where Morning section of Teenage ICT student beneficiaries waited eagerly to welcome our US partner in a special way. http://youtu.be/g70Lu3iJ2bk

The afternoon of Day 2 was a courtesy visit to traditional rulers and community leaders of within Treasureland area of operation. These communities are Ajegunle and Owode Elede communities. The traditional Rulers called the Baale were briefed about the program and the had the opportunity of telling us the history of their communities and their role in the community development especially as it concerns persons with disabilities.

Day 3 of the visit was on Tuesday and it started with picking up Suzanne from the hotel and together we went to EKO FM 89.75 FM a Lagos radio station where the team talked live on air for 55 minutes on issues of maternal health especially as it relates to women and girls with disabilities. The team was joined by a Medical Doctor Dr. Omosehin from UNFPA to discuss on the issue, the phone lines for listeners to call into the program was opened to the public to call, contribute and ask questions and about three persons called. 

At the end of the live broadcast, all partners visited one Tertiary, one Secondary and one Primary Healthcare Facilities to ascertain the level of inclusive health care services they provide for People With Disabilities (PWD). The first was the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja where the team met with the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof. D.A.A Oke and his team to discuss issues on inclusive and assessable health care for persons with disabilities.

The CMD was opened to best practices that could enhance the accessibility of Persons with disabilities in his hospital, team Nigeria & her U.S partner also had the opportunity to go round the existing facility to see how accessible they were and was impressed with what was on ground though not much have been done, but something have started as regarding inclusive healthcare services for PWD. The CMD assured the team that his institution will sure work with our team to ensure inclusive and accessible healthcare services for PWDs especially in LASUTH and first, that they were going to begin by giving employment to sign language interpreters that would work in the hospital to breach the communication gap between people that have hearing and speech impairment to enable the get healthcare services.

Team Nigeria left LASUTH to a secondary health facility called Rando General Hospital surulere, from there, the team proceeded to a primary health facility called the Akoka Primary Health Centre, Yaba. After the visits to the tertiary, secondary and primary health facilities, the team retired to have a meeting with the Lagos State Commissioner of Health Dr. Jide Idris at the Commissioner’s board room at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa Secreteriat, Ikeja, where the Commissioner highlighted how far the ministry is going with the inclusive healthcare services for PWD and also talked about the Special People’s Law, he also mentioned that he is proposing the Law to be reviewed in order to include other areas that were not included for better healthcare services for PWDs in Lagos State. The day ended and Suzanne was driven to her hotel.

 On day 4 being Wednesday, the team visited the US Embassy in Lagos, where we were delighted to be hosted by the Public Diplomacy Officer Ms Rhonda J. Watson, and the Public Affairs Officer Ms. Dehab Ghebreab,  who wholeheartedly  welcomed Suzanne to Nigeria and to our US Partner Ms. Suzanne Hurwitz, she said she felt more at home. They were happy to receive us and promised to work with us. they also brought ideas and suggestions on how to effectively include persons with disabilities for better health care services.  

Latter that day, the partners visited cultural places of interest (Museum, Onikan & Freedom park, Broad street both on Lagos island ) saw some historical artifacts, sculptures and learn about the history of Lagos. And from there, visited the Palace of the Oba (Paramount traditional ruler) of Lagos, who couldn't recieve us due to the Ramadan fasting. We visited the ever busy Idumota market Lagos island to see a typical market senerio.  

On Day 5 Thurs & Day 6 Friday respectively, we had a 2-day stakeholders workshop where we had people from the government, civil society organizations, medical profession & disability groups deliberate on issues of inclusive and accessible healthcare services for persons with disabilities and case studies and life experiences were shared to better understand the situation on ground and also re-enforce advocacy. Suzanne Hurwitz also presented a paper on some best practices being practiced in the United States to enhance inclusive healthcare for women with physical disabilities using IWD's model as a case study  http://youtu.be/h-2TzcU3vb4

Latter on day 6, Treasureland's CEO hosted Suzanne at her home, where she wined and dined, eating home made food with her partners. She also had the opportunity of tasting some Nigerian Igbo indeginous meals. And the entire family was also very excited to receive Suzanne for the dinner.

On Day 7 being Saturday, The partners had a technical session to develop concept note and fine-tone application for the small grant. After which, we organized an interactive session where Suzanne had the opportunity to speak with a group of women and girls with disabilities about self advocacy skills at the Wesley School for the Hearing Impaired. The women (and men who were also present) participated in a discussion of the importance of self advocacy for women in all aspects of life, especially in accessing healthcare services, and the challenges women with disabilities face living in Lagos.

  

On Day 8 Sunday,  Treasureland, DPAI & her U.S partner visited the Lekki Beach and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation both on Lekki Phase-two, where we went close to nature and latter that day had a review meeting to appraise the entire exchange visit program, shared lessons learned.

In the evening of that day, team Nigeria drove her U.S partner to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMA) Ikeja to bid her farewell to the United States of America, her home country, that was on the 4th of August, 2013.

LESSONS LEARNED

1.     Acculturation fosters partnerships.

2. Exchange programs expands the frontiers of development.

3.  It builds lasting relationship among individuals and organizations.

4.   It helps individuals and organizations understand both the strength and weakness of one another and help strengthen each others weaknesses.

5.   It helps in achieving common goals.

6. It expands Knowledge, best practices and enhances professionalism.

7. People with diverse form of disabilities and their families are regaining their rights  as a result of the advocacy emanating from exchange program and partnerships.

8.  Individuals and governments are now re-strategizing for Inclusive healthcare   services for persons with disabilities.