WORKING METHODS/APPROACHES
Based on the revised intervention, the Program Implementation methods/approaches of SSHBHA are the following.

1. Skills Training: this is a program whereby the blind and other PwDs are given six
months training in at least the following fields.

i. Brush making   ii. Mop making   iii. Basket weaving   iv. Zenbaba (hand broom) making
v. Tailoring and sewing   vi. Knitting   vii. Carpet making   viii. Weaving
ix. Carpentry and metal works   x. Poultry breading, and  xi. Cattle and sheep fattening

These trainings will be conducted through establishing and running TDCs, in different parts of Ethiopia, in addition to expanding the existing Addis and Butajira TDCs.

2. Rehabilitation by Providing Startup Capital/Initial working Materials- this is a component of given certain tools and materials in the form of start up capital to target groups up on completion of the training in the above-mentioned skills. So far, with respect to this action, more than 75% of those trained target groups have already started earning their income by making different kinds of crafts as well as poultry products through the rehabilitation support offered. In this case, graduates have been helped to produce and sell these items after training and enabled to generate their own income either by employing themselves at their homes or by working at places of their own convenience.

More to the point, this approach involves supporting the graduates of the training through the provision of startup capital and/or initial working materials corresponding to the skills training given In this case, after finishing the skills training given, the trainees receive working materials and/or start up capital. The types of materials the training graduates receive respective to the training fields are the following.
a) Fiber, string fiber and pines woods for brush making trainees;
b) Mop threads, tubes, scissor and blade for mop making trainees;
c) Plastic ropes, scissors and blades fro basket weaving trainees;
d) Palm leaves, scissors and choppers for hand broom making trainees;
e) Sewing machines, threads and accessories for tailoring and sewing trainees;
f) Knitting machines, threads and accessories fro knitting trainees;
g) Mobile carpet looms, factory washed wools, weft and warp and accessories for carpet making trainees;
h) Mobile weaving looms, acrylic yarns, cotton yarns, and accessories for weaving trainees;
i) Hand tools and accessories for carpentry and metalwork trainees;
j) Chickens, chicken houses, fodder, drinking and feeding utensils and medical supplies for poultry breeding trainees; and
k) Cattle/sheep, drinking and feeding utensils, fodder, medical and other supplies for cattle/sheep fattening trainees.

3. Follow-Up process Interventions:
There are roughly two strategies adopted for trainees after they finish their training. Firstly, there are those trainees that work independently from SSHBHA, particularly those receive the abovementioned trainings but for brush training. These trainees initially receive initial materials from SSHBHA to be able to start working by themselves. Then after, they buy their own raw materials, produce and also sell their products by own strength with help from for example family members or community. The income provided with these crafts and skills is supplemental to the income of the target groups including their family. Whereas the poultry breeding and cattle fattening further provides direct support to the family food supply.

Secondly, there is the group of trainees that remains in close contact with SSHBHA after they have finished their trainings, especially those who receive trainings in brush making. SSHBHA provides these target groups with raw materials and picks up the products they make from the houses to sell it on the market. The trainees receive from SSHBHA a certain amount of money per item produced. Some of the items need a finishing touch before they are ready for the market. The amount of products sold daily per home worker or trainee is approximately 18 brushes. The home workers daily receive Birr 13.5 On the whole, these people are able to make Birr 405 a month, which can be roughly more than comparable to minimum wages of other working classes, hired and paid in different business enterprise and factories in the country. It has to note that the minimum wage for the least qualified or non qualified government employees is Birr 200 per month.

The follow-up interventions approach involves enabling the target groups to become financially sustainable by creating access to income generating devices including micro financing institutions. Besides to widening the rehabilitation component mentioned above, the intervention could extend to regular orientations in association with awareness raising, brail literacy and physical rehabilitation for the target groups. It extends to rendering technical and marketing support for the graduates of the skills training. This is to say, they will be provided with counseling, marketing and related information services. The method further implies for SSHBHA to undertake monitoring and supervision of the target groups after the skills training and after handing over of start up capital/or working materials through periodic visits at their residence or other places of convenience, counseling contacts, collective discussions, basic business skills for the target groups and awareness interventions together with their families and the community members. Since then SSHBHA has successfully conducted awareness raising interventions on issues of PwDs and their productive potentials to enable trained target groups to work by themselves with the help from family members and the surrounding community. During these events, target groups and other needy PwDs will also e provided with mobility, educational, and other adaptive appliances. Moreover, the selected target groups will be provided with brail literacy to enable them reading, reckoning and writing in brail.

4. Advocacy, Research and Public Relations Activities:
Pubic policy advocacy is believed to enhance the improvement of the living conditions of the visually impaired and physically handicapped person in general. SSHBHA will create its own means (mainly workshops, community forums, mass media, and government platforms) for disseminating important information about visually impaired persons and other PwDs where the public will learn about their needs, potentials and its contribution for their rehabilitation. SSHBHA will also continue to join other fellow DPOs in lobbying the government to issue and/or rectify legislations or policy documents so as to make the PwDs inclusive in the overall national development agenda. SSHHA will continue to assume and active role through the already existing and/or new networks and partnerships in furthering public policy advocacy interventions.

Researches on population size and characteristics of the visually impaired persons and other PwDs is to be undertaken in the target areas for preparing and developing rehabilitation-reintegration SSHBHA’s achievements, future plans, lessons learned and other pertinent information about the visually impaired persons and other PwDs will be disseminated to the public through broachers, magazines, documentary films and web pages