Child Protection

Children with disabilities in Ethiopia often face significant barriers to accessing the assistive devices they need to live fuller, more independent lives. For many, these critical supports are unavailable locally, requiring families living in remote rural areas to travel long distances to obtain them. 

In October 2022, ChildFund partnered with the Jimma Cheshire Foundation Orthopedic Workshop to address this challenge and transform the lives of children with disabilities.

With support from Dow Chemical and ChildFund, the workshop upgraded its equipment, including the purchase of a state-of-the-art Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) router machine. This cutting-edge technology has revolutionized the workshop’s operations, shifting from manual jigsaw cutting to computerized precision. The result? Increased production capacity, greater efficiency, and reduced material waste. Thanks to this upgrade, the workshop can now produce and maintain up to 15 assistive devices per day, a dramatic improvement from just 4 previously.Children and youth with disabilities now have access to essential support without traveling over 400 kilometers for services.