COMMUNITY REHABILITATION WORKERS - DO THEY OFFER HOPE TO DISABLED PEOPLE IN SOUTH-AFRICA RURAL-AREAS

This article outlines the thinking behind the Wits/Tintswalo community rehabilitation worker training programme which is located in South Af rica's eastern Transvaal Lowveld. Drawing on a combination of qualitat ive and quantitative evidence collected during the first eighteen mont hs in which the CRWs were working full-time (January 1993 - June 1994) it suggests that the two year training programme has been successful in providing therapeutic skills. Key issues raised are whether the cov erage of disability is adequate in terms of numbers treated or in term s of categories of disability treated.