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In Algeria, Handicap International works in the following areas:

• emergency situations
• psychological support to populations in distress
• rehabilitation
• rights of disabled people

CONTEXT
The current economic transition and institutional reform process in Algeria is generating inequalities and malfunctions in what is already a defective social system. Health services are not able to meet the demands of 31 million Algerians.

The Alger region was also the site of two dramatic natural catastrophes within 18 months:
– the Bab el-Oued floods in 2001, which killed 700 people
– the earthquake in May 2003 which shook Boumerdès and Alger, causing the death of 3,000 people and leaving 10,000 injured and 182,000 victims.

BACKGROUND
Handicap International began working in Algeria in 1998. Between 1999 and 2001, with the collaboration of Algerian professionals, a project of psychosocial support to children was launched and an orthopaedic workshop was set up in Blida.
Following the natural disasters, Handicap International coordinated a network of associations and institutions that were quickly mobilized to provide medical, psychological and social assistance to the seriously injured, to victims with disabilities and to traumatized children.

STRATEGY
In Algeria, our aim is to promote the development of local networks to assist people in disabling situations and those that are psychologically vulnerable. This approach requires a solid partnership network. Our partners are generally well-established associations, rehabilitation services, oncology-paediatrics services, psychiatric hospitals, medicalised education centres, homes for assisted children and professional training establishments.

ACTIVITIES

The Mental Health project aims to support, train and establish links between care workers in the different aspects of their professional practice. The section specifically targets care workers looking after children who have been victims of violence, children in hospital with physical disabilities or serious illness, mentally disabled children or children with personality disorders.

The Early Childhood project aims to upgrade public nurseries that look after very young abandoned children, and notably children with disabilities.

The Rehabilitation project is made up of three projects:

• organisation of a network of operators to provide medical, psychological and social support to seriously injured and disabled earthquake victims. This includes promoting accessibility to the temporary and permanent housing attributed to disabled people and also to public buildings
• support for the consolidation of paramedical training courses at the National Pedagogical Institute for Paramedical Training (implementation of an evaluation process, promotion of a global approach to the patient, improvement in the practical teaching of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and orthopaedic fitting)
• support for the structural reinforcement of associations for people with myopathy. 

The Disability Rights project aims to support national federations of disability associations (covering physical, sensorial or mental disability) in reinforcing their network in order to promote and defend the recognition of disabled people’s rights.

CONTACTS
2, rue Yahia Mazouni – Poirson – El Biar – Alger.
Tel/fax: 213 (0) 21 92 52 26 or 213 (0) 21 79 28 24
E-mail: hialgérie@gecos.net