Key Informant Method (KIM) to mobilize community members for action on disability
CSF is a non-profit working to eliminate avoidable causes of childhood disability & to establish a right-based enabling environment for them
About You
About You
First Name
Mohammad Abdul
Last Name
Muhit
Twitter URL
https://twitter.com/#!/drmamuhit
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Child Sight Foundation (CSF)
Organization Website
Organization Country
Bangladesh
Country where this project is creating social impact
Bangladesh
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
“Distinguished Service Award” by Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology for leadership role in the development of research, programmes and policies for prevention of blindness and ensure the rights of the blind children in Bangladesh.
Honored with another award “gold medal” for great contribution in the field of research of childhood eye diseases on behalf of the Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB).
References - Please provide two references with a two-sentence biography, email address, and phone number for each
1. Prof. A.H. Syedur Rahman
Biography and Address of correspondence: He is the President of Child Sight Foundation. He is also the Former President, Bangladesh Medical Association and currently working as a Chief Consultant Ophthalmologist, BIRDEM Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: srahman@bangla.net
Phone Number: +8801711564611
2. Hasnain Sabih Nayak
Biography and Address of correspondence: He is the International Relations & Culture Editor of “Toitomboor”, meaning “full to the brim” in Bangla, has been the leading children and juvenile monthly magazine in Bangladesh since 1992. He is also one of the founders at Blooming Buds Child Development Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: hasnain@mtlbd.net
hasnain@iub.edu.bd
Phone Number: +8801711786454
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Innovation
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
In 2001, we conducted the first national study on childhood blindness in Bangladesh using Key Informant Method (Key Informant Method also called KIM is a novel method for identifying children with disability in the community, by training local volunteers known as key informants like school teacher, local leaders, religious man in the community). We found that 40,000 children were blind in Bangladesh and out of them, about 2/3rd cases could be prevented or treated. At that time, there was a widespread denial among policy makers and service providers even about the mere existence of blind children. No data were available even on essential facts like how many children are blind in Bangladesh.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
To lessen the burden of disability in children, it must be timely identified, properly diagnosed and intervened. We trained community volunteers to act as key informants (KIs). KIs are people who live and/or work in their local community (health workers, man of faith, parents etc.). KIs are selected and trained to identify children in their communities. With support of Community Mobilisers (CM), they compile a list of identified children with disability to be examined by physicians. The children with their parents are provided appropriate counselling and refer them to hospital for further management or provided community based rehabilitation. This method has been tested against the door-to-door survey and was proven nationally and internationally as extremely effective, less expensive and more sensitive. Already, this method was used in several countries in the world including Malawi, Iran, India.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
in 2001, we planned to conduct a national study on epidemiology of childhood blindness. Doing a national survey on large number of child population in Bangladesh needs much time and there is huge cost involvement. But we were trying to find a solution that can be applied easily, in cost-effective manner and most importantly, a sustainable solution. We then came up with the key informant method that involves sustainable approach through community involvement. We mobilize the community people to identify children with disability and got dramatic result. With the key informant method, we have been able to identified 17, 500 children with visual impairment from 285 sub districts in 39 districts in Bangladesh. Among them, 6, 500 children have had their vision restored by cataract surgery, 300 children with visual impairment have received inclusive education support in our 2 projects, 350 children with visual impairment receive home based rehabilitation. With our recent childhood disability project, we have trained 1,200 people to act as Key Informants to identify children with disability within our project area. So far, 4,331 children with various form of disabilities including cleft palate and cleft lip, visual impairment, hearing loss, epilepsy, hydrocephalous, club foot, cerebral palsy, other types of physical disabilities are identified so far by key informant method under the project. Out of 4,331 chidren, 3,100 children have received medical and surgical treatment, physiotherapy and other supportive materials so far. The remaining will receive service by and by.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
This Entry is about (Issues)
Social Impact
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Initially, our work was focused on childhood blindness and visual impairment. I was the lead researcher of the only National survey on childhood blindness in Bangladesh that was conducted in 2001. Before started the study, I knew that identification of those children will be challenging and costly. I have discussed with my team members about a feasible, easier and most importantly sustainable method to identify children. Then we came up with empowering local people and mobilise them to identify and creating awareness. We identified key people of the society who have a tremendous role in social and community mobilisation. A few months after we trained these key people. With this key informant, we were able to identify 17, 500 children with visual impairment from 285 sub districts in 39 districts in Bangladesh. CSF has changed 6,500 children life through sight restoring cataract surgery. After that we focused our work on childhood disability. Now we have trained 1,200 Key Informants
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
The primary goal of the initiative is to identify children affected by disabling disease as early as possible to ensure that they receive appropriate and timely access to referral, services, examination, treatment and rehabilitation. This access is crucial for children to develop, receive education, and participate in broader social life.
We want to replicate this method throughout the country and in middle and low income countries in the world. The method will be an effective, low-cost solution for low and middle income countries like Bangladesh, where the remoteness of rural communities and poor access to health, education, and rehabilitation services in many areas render most other research methods less effective.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
More than 20,000 KIs have been trained who are doing community mobilisation. CSF has identified 17 500 children with VI from 285 sub districts in 39 districts in Bangladesh. Among them, 6 500 children have had their vision restored by cataract surgery, 300 children with visual impairment have received inclusive education support and 350 children with visual impairment receive home based rehabilitation.
Under the project titled “Childhood Disability Study in Bangladesh”, 4,331 children with various form of disabilities including cleft palate and cleft lip, visual impairment, hearing loss, epilepsy, hydrocephalous, club foot, cerebral palsy, other types of physical disabilities are identified.
Of 4331 chidren, 3,100 children have received medical and surgical treatment, physiotherapy and other support. 1200 people in the project area have been trained as KIs to identify children with disabilities. 121 parents of children w/ cerebral palsy received training on home-based physiotherapy
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
In coming five years, more key informants will be trained and more children will be identified and managed accordingly. In coming years, more geographical area will be added for project work. We will cover at least 5 more new districts in coming 5 years, each in one year. Key Informant Method will be dispersed more area and mobilize more community members for action on childhood disability.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Monitoring KI activity will be done by community mobiliser who will be a group of local people actively involved with us.
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone
Task 1
Arrange training of specific number of Key Informants in very specific area.
Task 2
Identify a certain number of children with various forms of disabilities in that area.
Task 3
Provide them required services.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
identify certain amount of children with special focus on hard to reach area and provide them required services
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone
Task 1
Train almost double number of KI than we did in 6 months.
Task 2
Identify more children with special focus on hard to reach area
Task 3
Provide services and run some awareness activity in the community on rights and facts on disability.
Sustainability
Tell us about your partnerships
We have collaborated with numerous local and international partners. Child Sight Foundation receives technical support from-International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
Locally we have Child Disability Network (CDN) that brings together a variety of organisations into a cooperative network; all share concern for childhood disability and intends to alleviate the situation. Members met in the CDN Conference on 18 August 2005 and agreed to work together.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
Yes. We are targeting older group as well due to the increasing disability with the increase of population aging.
We are targeting urban slum as well because they are vulnerable and often overlooked.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
All the staffs of our organisation are well motivated and they promote volunteerism. Our working environment is quiet good and constantly increasing its capacity to provide quality services.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
1. Investment to build or support infrastructure to provide services
2. Develop human Resources to empower community and provide services
3. Social marketing and media support to spread awareness & success stories
4. Research and information to know real scenario, effectiveness of intervention
5. Collaboration between organizations to avoid duplication of efforts
 | 14 weeks agoJessi Wolz said: Hi Mohammad, I really enjoyed reading this entry. The KIs sound like a great model for identifying and preventing child ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 16 weeks agoMd. Johurul Islam submitted this idea. |
