Together for Inclusion (TOFI) is a groundbreaking partnership where Norwegian disabled persons' organizations (DPOs) have joined forces with some of Norway’s largest and most reputable NGOs to reach the most marginalised with high-quality organisational capacity building, disability rights advocacy, inclusive education and economic empowerment projects.
A unique collaboration
While many other consortia involve, but are not led by DPOs, the TOFI consortium is unique in that it actually has DPOs in the driver’s seat. Combining the reach and development expertise of the large NGOs with a rights-based approach and the specific knowledge of the DPOs, the programme has persons with disabilities in the lead.
In Together for Inclusion, Norwegian DPOs and NGOs work side by side with local partners to create inclusive programmes that centre the lived experiences of persons with disabilities. In Norway, the partnership is led by the Atlas Alliance. TOFI is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad.
What we do
The TOFI projects are divided into three thematic areas:
- Advocacy and the rights of the disabled (human rights advocacy)
- Inclusive education (more than 50 % of the funds are used for education)
- Work and income (economic empowerment)
The work aims towards achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly
· SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
· SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
· SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
· SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
The projects are implemented in six Sub-Saharan countries: Ethiopia, Mozambique, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Participating organisations
From Norway, the participating organisations are:
· The Norwegian Association of Disabled
· The Norwegian Association of Blind and Partially Sighted
· The Norwegian Association of Persons with Developmental Disabilities
· The Norwegian Federation of Organisations of Disabled Persons
· The Norwegian Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
· Youth Mental Health Norway
· Save the Children Norway
· Plan Norway
· The Strømme Foundation
· ADRA Norway
· SOS Children’s Villages Norway
· Norwegian Church Aid
· YGlobal
· The Development Fund
· Naturvernforbundet (Friends of the Earth Norway)
