RCRD was founded in 1997 with the primary goal of developing and delivering resources such as human resource, information, skills, and knowledge to support the empowerment, rights protection, and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities at the community level. Additionally, it focuses on disability management and the promotion of disability rights at both national and local levels. The concept of founding a disability resource center emerged from the insights and experiences gained through the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program conducted in Bhaktapur in the support of Save the Children since 1985.
The resource center was envisioned to replicate CBR practices, knowledge and learnings for disability inclusion nationwide, assist the government in adopting the program, generate skilled professionals, and provide necessary information and research to inform policymakers. It also aimed to develop awareness materials to foster societal attitude changes, conduct studies, and offer training and support to empower persons with disabilities and their organizations. Officially registered in 1999, RCRD initially received financial support from Save the Children to strengthen CBR programs implemented in Lalitpur, Palpa and Morang and later on it was expaned nationwide in the collaboration with government and other many partners.
From 1997 to 2009, RCRD, in collaboration with Save the Children, introduced a 100-day CBR training program, equipping professionals with foundational skills in rehabilitation, covering areas such as healthcare, mobility, assistive devices, education, livelihood, and social participation for persons with disabilities. The organization prioritized inclusive education for children with disabilities, working between 2010 and 2012 to strengthen Save the Children’s partners working across various districts in promoting inclusive education practices. In 2013 and 2014, RCRD acted as a technical partner to pilot an inclusive education program in Udayapur and Morang.
Between 2015 and 2018, in partnership with Handicap International (HI) and Save the Children, RCRD implemented inclusive education initiatives and relief programs in earthquake-affected districts, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, and Gorkha, ensuring support for children with disabilities. Similarly, from 2001 to 2004, RCRD collaborated with HI to train rehabilitation workers through its 100-day training program and conducted functional assessments of persons with disabilities in four districts of Karnali and Sudur Paschim provinces—Kalikot, Mugu, Bajura, and Achham. The partnership continued from 2018 to 2021, during which RCRD provided disability assessments and training to teachers and stakeholders on inclusive education in Sindhupalchowk, Sarlahi, Parsa, and Banke.
Between 2007 and 2017, in collaboration with the Karuna Foundation Nepal (KFN), RCRD trained CBR workers through its 100-day course and implemented projects focused on the empowerment, rehabilitation, and education of persons with disabilities in Rasuwa. Additionally, from 2001 to 2018, RCRD worked closely with the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens—Nepal's focal government body on disability issues—to provide technical support in policy development, expand CBR programs nationwide, train government staff at the district level, and formulate accessibility guidelines in alignment with Article 9 of the CRPD. Between 2014 and 2018, RCRD also supported the government in training CBR workers through a 30-day training package. Moreover, between 2013 and 2019, the organization partnered with the Department of Education to create training materials, assessment tools, and policy frameworks for inclusive education.
RCRD has also collaborated with organizations such as ATOS Denmark and CBM on projects related to de-institutionalization, disability awareness, inclusive education, and disability-focused research. Additionally, it continues to work with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and umbrella disability organizations to promote advocacy, awareness, and capacity-building initiatives. As a pioneer of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in Nepal, RCRD introduced the country’s first comprehensive 100-day CBR training in 1997. This initiative trained community-level professionals to support persons with disabilities and their families. Between 1997 and 2011, RCRD trained 240 CBR workers, and from 2011 to 2018, it trained an additional 167 professionals through 72-day and 30-day programs tailored to meet government and stakeholder demands. These trained professionals are now actively contributing to disability rehabilitation efforts across Nepal.
