In a profound collaboration since 2005, Caritas India (CI) and Light for the World, Austria have joined forces to bring positive change to the lives of people with disabilities in the northeast region. Over the past 18 years, this partnership has touched approximately 39,000 individuals, their families, and the broader community. Caritas India’s Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program, forged in alliance with Light for the World, stands as a beacon of hope for persons with disabilities. Recognizing the need for sustainable impact, Light for the World strategically decided three years ago to phase out their collaboration in India. However, during this transition period, they remained deeply committed to ensuring a meaningful handover.

Over the last three years, Light for the World invested in building the capacity of its partners in the northeast region. They focused on developing organization-wise sustainability plans, enhancing skills in areas such as proposal writing, finance management, planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. An evaluation titled ‘Unearthing Gold Nuggets’ was conducted to assess the outcomes of their interventions, shedding light on the positive transformations brought about by the CBR program through “Includovate.”

The recent northeast region partners’ meeting and phasing-out ceremony, held at Bosco Reach Out in Guwahati, Assam, showcased the incredible strides made in community development. Ms. Marieke, Head of Programme Quality and Innovation at Light for the World, shared insights into international developments on Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) and introduced the concept of Community 2030, currently under global discussion.

The first half of day 2 started by sharing the findings of the outcome evaluation – unearthing gold nuggets covering different thematic areas. The key findings under the CBR domain are given below:

System Level:
1. Public services are now accountable for including persons with disabilities.
2. District/state leaders received training and support for disability inclusion.

Organization Level:
1. Mainstream development NGOs underwent attitudinal change and capacity strengthening.
2. CBR became the backbone for inclusive education.
3. Early intervention services and vocational education saw improvements.

Community Level:
1. A shift from the charity model to a rights-based approach.
2. Communities now view people with disabilities as productive contributors.
3. Improved local service delivery and increased participation in self-help groups.

Individual Level:
1. Empowered individuals actively participating in their communities.
2. Increased awareness about rights and government employment provisions.
3. Pregnant women receiving appropriate interventions to reduce causes of disability.
4. More persons with disabilities gaining employment through proper registration.

The closing ceremony celebrated the impactful collaboration, with Ms. Jess Blijkers, International Director – Programmes and Advocacy at Light for the World, expressing gratitude and emphasizing the enduring connections forged. Partners, including Caritas India, reflected on the transformative journey.

In a touching moment, Ms. Sigrid Baldinger, Northeast Region Programme Coordinator of Light for the World, visited Caritas India’s CBR program areas in the Kamrup Rural district. Witnessing the positive changes in the lives of people with disabilities, she expressed confidence that Caritas India’s CBR program would continue enabling individuals and the community to lead independent lives with minimal support.

As partners received mementos in the evening, cultural activities and dinner brought everyone together, celebrating not just the culmination of a partnership but the enduring impact on the lives of those who needed it the most.