Governance & Policies

Child Safeguarding Policy

The Tapco Centre for Development and Innovation (TCDI) Foundation believes that every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment, free from violence, exploitation, and abuse. This policy outlines our zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and our commitment to safeguarding children across all our programmes, including our School Eye Health initiatives.

Our Commitments

• Zero Tolerance: We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of child abuse, exploitation, or neglect by our staff, volunteers, or partners.
• Safe Recruitment: All staff and volunteers undergo rigorous background checks and referencing before engaging in any activities involving children.
• Reporting Mechanisms: We provide accessible, confidential, and culturally appropriate mechanisms for children, parents, and community members to report any safeguarding concerns.

All TCDI representatives are required to sign and adhere to our Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct prior to deployment in any field operations.

Gender Equality Policy

TCDI Foundation is committed to advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls. Recognizing that visual impairment disproportionately affects women due to socio-economic barriers to healthcare access, we integrate a gender-transformative approach into all our clinical and outreach activities.

Strategic Objectives

• Equitable Access: Designing mobile screening and Vision Centre services that specifically address the unique barriers women face in accessing eye care.
• Economic Empowerment: Actively recruiting, training, and incentivizing women as Community Eye Health Workers (CEHWs) to promote economic independence.
• Inclusive Decision Making: Ensuring equal representation of women in community health committees and TCDI leadership roles.

We continuously monitor our programme data disaggregated by sex to evaluate and improve our impact on gender equality.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)

TCDI Foundation strictly adheres to the international standards for Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). We are dedicated to creating a safe and respectful environment for our beneficiaries, staff, and the communities we serve.

Core Principles

• Sexual exploitation and abuse constitute acts of gross misconduct and are grounds for immediate termination of employment and legal action.
• Transactional sex, including exchanging assistance, goods, or services for sexual favors, is strictly prohibited.
• We maintain a survivor-centered approach, ensuring that anyone reporting an incident receives immediate protection, psychosocial support, and medical assistance if required.

All employees, contractors, and implementing partners are mandated to participate in comprehensive PSEAH training annually.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

At TCDI Foundation, we embrace diversity in all its forms. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, or disability, is valued, respected, and empowered.

Our Approach

• Inclusive Services: Ensuring all our Vision Centres and mobile outreach camps are fully accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs).
• Diverse Workforce: Actively recruiting and retaining individuals from marginalized and underserved communities within Kenya to ensure our team reflects the populations we serve.
• Anti-Discrimination: Maintaining robust grievance mechanisms to immediately address and rectify any discriminatory behavior within our operations.

Environmental Safeguards Policy

As a climate-adaptive healthcare organization, TCDI Foundation is deeply committed to minimizing the environmental footprint of our clinical and outreach operations. We recognize the intrinsic link between a healthy environment and community well-being.

Operational Guidelines

• Medical Waste Management: Strictly adhering to national and international guidelines for the safe disposal of clinical waste generated during eye surgeries and screenings.
• Solar Integration: Transitioning our Hub Vision Centres and mobile outreach units to solar power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• Sustainable Procurement: Sourcing medical supplies, spectacles, and administrative materials from environmentally responsible suppliers whenever feasible.

Our environmental policies are reviewed annually to ensure alignment with Kenya’s national climate resilience strategies.