Invest fot children has started a new collaboration with Ability Bhutan Society (ABS). The project aims to promote the social inclusion of children with disabilities, along with their families and caregivers, by providing access to essential services in health, education, livelihoods, and empowerment. This target group was identified based on estimated disability prevalence within the three project districts. People with disabilities in these districts need inclusive development supported by service providers, especially in areas related to basic human rights, including healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. For many reasons, children with disabilities often place an additional burden on their families, which can increase the risk of poverty. Disability is understood as both a cause and a consequence of poverty.
Ability Bhutan Society (ABS) is a public benefit organization founded to address the special needs of individuals with moderate to severe disabilities, primarily children and their families. ABS was registered with the Civil Society Organization Authority of Bhutan (CSOA) under registration no. CSOA/PBO-15 on November 10, 2011. Inspired by the vision of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, “of a compassionate and just society,” ABS was inaugurated by Her Majesty Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, the Royal Patron of ABS, on April 6, 2012, as a project under the Kidu Foundation, an initiative of Their Majesties to support Royal Projects. The greatest strength of ABS today is the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty, the Queen of Bhutan, who takes an active interest in ABS and social service initiatives focused on the health and well-being of children with disabilities (CWDs), including support for their parents and caregivers.
Current ABS’ Programmes:
- Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Services: Serving 63 children with mild to severe disabilities, providing services both at the center and through home-based support as possible.
- Music Therapy: Conducted every Wednesday to create an enabling learning environment.
- Transition Support: Facilitating the transition of children into mainstream schools, vocational centers, and other learning institutions based on individual abilities and readiness.
- Institutional Capacity Building: Strengthening the intervention center and social worker capacity through resource mobilization, an endowment fund, and training (both in-house and online).
- Advocacy and Awareness: Conducting workshops, training, and awareness programs on inclusion, accessibility, social protections, and child rights at the national level.
- Community-Based Family Engagement and Empowerment Forums: Establishing networks and linkages locally and internationally to foster collaboration and sustainability.
- Fundraising for Institutional Sustainability: Engaging in activities to support both institutional sustainability and direct intervention services, including observing four international days for persons with disabilities throughout the year.
- Annual Summer Program and Outdoor Activities: Organized for persons with disabilities and their families.
- ABS-BMZ/DAHW Project Management and Implementation: Overseeing the “Social Inclusion” project in the districts of Samtse, Tsirang, and Zhemgang. Supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Germany and the German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (DAHW), this project—running from January 2022 to December 2024—is the largest ABS-led initiative promoting social inclusion and empowerment for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.
More information about ABS: https://absbhutan.org/
