Activity Report from Pakistan

Activity Report from Pakistan

Activit Report of CILC (Capital Independent Living Centre, Islamabad)

Trainings:
- Training on Independent Living, organized in Human Care Association, Tokyo Japan by Asia Pacific Network of Independent Living (APNIL) 15th Feb ? 26th Feb, 2010
The topics covered during the training were:
– History and Philosophy of Independent Living Movements
– Philosophy and Services of IL Center
– IL Skill program
– Peer-counseling
– Philosophy and System of PA Service
– Tasks of PA Coordinator
– Support for Empowerment
– Peer-Support Group Activities
– Visit to Mainstream Association
– Accessibility Check

Peer-Support Group Activity:
- On 13th March 2010, Peer-support group was organized for the staff of Capital Independent Living Center.
- Second peer-support group activity organized on 3rd April 2010 for 8 ? 9 persons with disabilities

Peer-Counseling:
- CILC took initiative to translate peer-counseling manual prepared by Human Care Association in Urdu. First draft shared with the team for comments. Translated manual will be used by ILC only. Will not publish especially for experts, change contents of text and design of cover page.
- Peer-counseling sessions

Advocacy:
Radio program with Dr. Israr Shah
National Consultation on Social Inclusion

Activity Plan for next month:
- Peer-Counseling seminar will be held on Saturday, 8th May 2010 in National Institute of Special Education
- Translation and Printing of Peer-Counseling Manual (prepared by Human Care Association)
- Formation of First Peer-Support Group of Women with Disabilities
- Peer-Support Group Activity (two in one month)
- Ongoing peer-counseling sessions

Report from Pakistan

Milestone Society for the Special Persons (R), a member of APNIL, is willing to share report of its successful project “Promoting Independent Living Amongst Persons with Disabilities,”
which was implemented with support from Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) for relief of victims of disastrous earthquake in 2005.

Promoting Independent Living Amongst Persons with Disabilities (*.doc file)

Activity Report of Capital Independent living Center (CILC) January-May 2009

Report from Pakistan

Activity Report of Capital Independent living Center (CILC)
January-May 2009,

Crisis Situation in Pakistan:
There are many aspects to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Malakand
division in NWFP. The emergency response remains focused on bigger issues
benefiting vast majority of Persons. While the part of the basic and most
of the specific needs of vulnerable persons, persons with disabilities,
older persons, persons with Injuries and children with disability remain
unaddressed.

The focus of Capital Independent Living Center (CILC)’s future activities
now shifted to IDP’s and I urge all the Disabled Persons Organizations,
Independent Living Centers and other stakeholders to once again join
hands together to take the necessary measures to ensure full inclusion of
persons with disabilities in the mainstream services and to develop
suitable specific actions in order to respond and make their lives
Independent, either they are living in NWFP or shelters provided by Bailt
-ul- Mal and Ministry of Social Welfare.

Creating ways for IL Leaders to Act
On December, 13th in 2008, a team of CILC:
* Two Peer-Counselors,
* One Project Assistant-CILC,
* Personal Assistant
Done the first assessment of district Suhawa, and according to the need
of that area, they have started discussion with local community leaders,
families of persons with disabilities and their (Girga) representatives,
Focused point of the discussion was:
* overcome discrimination, including multiple discrimination, and
increasing integration of people with disabilities through Independent
Living * increasing their labor market participation * tackling
disadvantages in education, training and lifelong learning and poverty
throughout the equal access to education and support and enhancing
Personal Assistance to severely disabled persons * Ensuring decent housing
and improving access to quality services that are accessible and
affordable (health and care services, transport, lifelong learning, etc.)

“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what
direction we are going.”

Another assessment of Village Sawabi has been done by:
* Three representatives of Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP)
* Two Peer-Counselors with Project Assistant Capital Independent Living
Centre (CILC)

Which lies between the river Indus and river Kabul, in the North West
frontier (NWFP) of Pakistan, It is divided into two Tehsils, forty union
councils and 200 villages. The total area of Swabi is 1543 square
kilometers, out of which 78 percent is hilly and 21 percent is plain
land.

The district Swabi consists of about 1.2milion people comprising 82
percent rural area and 18 percent in urban. Among these 3.6 percent
people are disabled in which 49 percent are females and 51 percent are
males. The disabilities in the district are classified as visually,
physical, intellectual and hearing impairments.

In January, 2009, CILC have taken the initiative of establishment of
Independent Living Centre Suhawa, by formal selection of IL Leaders and
their training on introducing the concept of IL and philosophy of ILP.

CREATING LEADERS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE IL MOVEMENT
IL center commits to active advocacy for PWDs to realize society where
severely disabled persons can live comfortably based upon the belief that
such society is also comfortable to any person.

We want to introduce a movement of IL not just as a project, had long
discussions with Persons with Disabilities about the challenges they are
facing, and one of the representative of village Suhawa, raised the need
of self-advocacy, and said “We receive so many messages from the
non-disabled world that we are not wanted, that we are considered less
than human. The very physical environment tells us we do not belong. It
tells us that we are not wanted in the places that non-disabled people
spend their lives.”

On 21st February 2009, team visited Bagyal, Alipur Farassh, The third
intervention area for the establishment Independent Living Centre. Rizwan
and his sister have attended training on Independent Living in March 2008
and have conducted PC sessions and invited our team to their village to
start IL Center

APCD Mission in Pakistan,
Trainings
Sessions on Independent Living, from Jan 2009 till date CILC have
conducted several sessions: On 9th April 2009, STEP has organized
training of 60 executive members of Telenor, corporate sector, cellular
company in two slots on Disability Awareness.
* In which Abia Akram, Project Manager – CILC, conducted a session on
History and Role of Independent Living in Disability Movement, * Session
on Independent Living Program was conducted by Mr. Abdul Manan on 16th
February in Pakistan’s First Media Sensitization workshop, * One day IL
Skill training was organized for 7 persons with disabilities with keeping
in mind the concept of training is must be enabling so that people are not
just being trained to react and solve their problems but to gain insight
to their situation, anticipate and cope with difficulties, choose the best
action, and better manage their resources.

Peer-Counseling
Had organized 4 PC sessions:
The best way to protect the IL movement the team of CILC worked so hard
to create is to encourage and maintain the active participation of young
leaders with disabilities. Because currently we are not succeeded in
starting Personal Assistant Services but main contribution is Young
people from our community offer unique perspectives on the contemporary
disability experience and life in general. They can and should have a
vocal presence as consumers, volunteers, staff, and board members.
One-to-one peer counseling allows you the opportunity to work
individually with a peer counselor on your unique independent living
goals. Beyond providing concrete help, a peer counselor can assist you in
addressing personal growth needs by working with you individually on:
* Identifying your strengths
* Acknowledging limitations
* Discovering your abilities
* Adapting to new circumstances and expectations that result from a
disability; and * Gaining awareness of how societal attitudes and
stereotypes about disability affect our own self-image. * Enhance your
ability as a self-advocate.

Coordination Meeting
In most situations, local DPOs are not as visible as the large
international NGOs or UN organizations focusing on disability. To avoid
this, local organizations need to make them more visible through making
their internal coordination:
* Coordination meeting of women with disabilities on 16th April, 2009,
chaired by Ms. Abia Akram, Women Coordinator DPI Pakistan (NFWWD) *
Coordination meeting with Disabled Persons Organizations representatives,
with Directorate General of Social Welfare and Special Education on 9th
April, 2009 * Meeting with the representative of JICA on 19th March, 2009

Livelihoods
Card making training

Abia Akram,
92-321-5278021

Letter from Pakistan

Letter from Pakistan

Dear Leaders of disability movement

I would like to share you a horrible situation faced by the disabled persons Pakistan. It is worse then the earth quack in Pakistan 2005. More then 3 million people from the war areas transfer to other cities of Pakistan most of them hosted by the public and there relatives. And a huge number of people are living in the camps. In the camps we found only 256 physically impaired, 13 visually impaired, 11 hearing impaired and 3 intellectual disabled persons. 3 disabled persons who had spinal cord injury died due to the lake of infections. No toilet is accessible, no priority camps set up for disabled persons.

Why?
Because of discriminations
Because no many assistive devices disabled persons have.
Because transportation is not accessible
Because disable persons are poorest of the poor
Because disabled persons are not empowered enough to love their lives and they believe that they are burden on their families.
These are the reasons we found after the survey of 283 disabled persons. We asked national and international agencies to consider disabled persons as human.

Today is the second day of our biggest achievement of Milestone history. We got opportunity to get a building of a school disabled person which was not in use. We cleaned it and make it the camp residence of Dip’s (Internally displace persons) PWDs.

Now we have 197 disabled persons and there their families. Their food is arranging by Pakistan Bait ul mall, Ministry of welfare and special education. We are going to start the counseling sessions with disabled persons and their families so when the will be back in their homes they will be strong agent of change of society. This one of the unique projects my life as well.

What we need?
We need the support from you in the shape of advices. Also we need your support to full fill this project as we no money for these activities. We are using resources from our families and friends. Also if you can put some influence to the international support agencies please ask them to consider disabled persons as well in rescue or recover process.

Thanks a lot .

For any inquiry contact me
Shafiq Ur Rehman
President
MILESTONE
479-omer block Allama Iqbal Town Lahore, Pakistan
MILESTONE H8/4 street NO 7 Next to Pakistan Bait ul Mall, Islamabad
Pakistan mirzasahab@hotmail.com

Milestone national network of DPOs has achieved a big target

News from Pakistan

Dear Leaders of disability movement,

Milestone national network of DPOs has achieved a big target.
1- Disabled persons of Pakistan can get 1000Rs every month directly from the provincial government.
2- Severe disabled persons can get 2000Rs as BENAZIR SOCIAL SECUTRITY FUND FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, So its mean that now the severe disabled persons could use Personal attendant services.
3- Disabled persons of Pakistan can get their own wheelchair due to their requirement of disability from government (first 120 wheelchairs already distributed on 14th August by the Zumard Khan Sahab and Dr. Israr Shah Sahab with collaboration of Milestone. Hearing Aid also available free of coast by the federal Government. 500 white can also distributed on 14th August. All assistive devices are by the Pakistan Bait ul Mall and the federal government. For devices you can send the application in milestone office or in Pakistan Bait ul Mall. An application with the copy of Nation ID card.
4- If a family have 2 or more the 2 disabled persons in a same family that family will declared a special respected family and will supported by the government.

Dear friend we did this and implementation is also started and if you will not take responsibility to make it social movement it will be fail. Share this information with your colleague organizations and members with disabilities.

Lot of Love
Shafiq Ur Rehman
President
MILESTONE
479-omer block Allama Iqbal Town Lahore, Pakistan
MILESTONE H8/4 street NO 7 Next to Pakistan Bait ul Mall, Islamabad Pakistan

Activity Report from Capital Independent Living Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

Activity Report from Capital Independent Living Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

Refresher Training on “Independent Living and Peer-Counseling” for Persons with Disabilities
Organized by Capital Independent Living Centre (CILC)
22-23 June, 2008

Capital Independent Living Centre (CILC) organized two days Training on Independent Living and Peer-Counseling in Al-Maktoom, Special Education Centre for Visually Impaired Children, G-7/2, Islamabad

The basic aim of that training was to enhance knowledge and to facilitate the interactive (participatory) sharing of ideas that will enable participants to think systematically about implementing activities of Independent living and Peer-Counseling.

Objectives
- Refreshes and enhance knowledge and skills of a wide range of both national and international disability related issues. And also share practical experience after getting the trainings from APCD and JICA
- Be able to analyze the disability related issues at grassroots level and find practical solutions.
- Build independent Living capacity and be able to empower other persons with disabilities in their organizations, societies and countries.
- Obtain skills to manage the activities of Independent Living Program and to make an effective presentation.
- Exchange ideas and experience with other participants of the course and promote mutual understanding

Participated By:
Almost 20 persons with disabilities participated in this training which includes pioneer members of STEP, Women with Disabilities, some Volunteers.

Whole Training facilitated by former APCD trainees, Ms. Abia, Ms. Pakeeza, Ms. Sadia, Ms. Nasreen Aziz and Mr. Muhammad Imran.

Inauguration
The orientation ceremony was inaugurated by Ms. Robina Anjum, Director Al-maktoom Special Education Center for Visually Handicapped Children.

Orientation
The Ice breaking session oriented the training. All participants who belonged to different backgrounds and strange to each other became close and familiar through this session.

Language
Urdu/ English lecture will be translated in Urdu simultaneously

Contents of the training
Following contents were focused in the training.

1. Independent Living
- History and Philosophy of IL
- ILC Management
- Role of President of ILC
- Role Play
- Services of IL
- Advocacy
- Peer-counseling
- Personal Assistant Service
- Housing Information
- IL Program (ILP)

2. Peer-counseling
1) History of peer-counseling
2) Purpose
3) Agreements
4) Relationship
5) New & Good
6) Human Nature
7) Discharge of Emotion
Oppressions
9) How to conduct sessions
10) What they have learnt

All the sessions conducted successfully. The Participant actively participated in the sessions.

Certificate Distribution
Mr. Khalid Naeem, the Director General Ministry of Social Welfare & Special Education participated as the chief guest in the closing ceremony. He encouraged the participants to forget about their disabilities and perform their roles as an active part of society. He further assured his cooperation for the betterment of PWDs. Certificates to the participants were distributed by him.

Results
15 Persons with disabilities are empowered. Acquire the basic knowledge about disability movement, Independent Living and Peer-counseling. Esteemed with new spirit, came out of their shells and disappointment. They are ready to be an active part of CILC and society as well. They want to be a role model and good peer-counselor for other PWDs in the community.

National Special Talent Exhibition of Persons with Disabilities

National Special Talent Exhibition of Persons with Disabilities
( Disability- Different life style)
December 3rd 2007
Islamabad

Project of

SPECIAL TALENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
A Cross Disability Organization
353-C, Street 30, G-6/2- Islamabad
Tell: +92-51-2278453
SMS: 0345-5911723
www.step.org.pk, www.ircd.net.pk

Acknowledgment
It was a dream to assemble all major disability stakeholders at one place with an objective to share experiences and challenges through showcasing their efforts for the dignified life of Persons with Disabilities living in marginalized economic circumstances and to include them in the mainstream. Realization of the dream was not possible with out vigorous struggle of STEP team, dynamic volunteers and all those organizations that came forward to support financially and technically.

We acknowledge the contribution of these organizations for strengthening the disability movement in Pakistan and particularly ignition the series of talent exhibitions in the country, through supporting this 2nd National Talent Exhibition & Seminar “Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities” Islamabad:

It was organized with collaboration of…
 Handicap International
 Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA)
 National Institute for Handicapped (NIHd)
 Sightsavers International (SSI)
 Milestone
 Helping Hand
 Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF)

Special Talent exhibition was organized to promote the talent of Persons with Disabilities and to bridge the communication gap between haves and haves not. Talent exhibitions have been a tradition of STEP. We have been organizing these exhibitions since year 2000 and until year 2006 more than 3000 PWDs have been somehow associated with these talent expositions.

In addition to significant to the exhibition, a seminar was organized with a theme “Decent work for Persons with Disabilities”. It is the contribution of individuals, organizations, government and PWDs themselves towards the development in disability movement. Every organization worked a lot on its level in the empowerment of PWDs. Every organization started to work at grassroots level with great zeal and dedication for same objectives, “Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities”. Disability leaders who contributed their personal efforts and sacrificed for the sustainability of disability movement till the end of their lives like Dr. Salma Maqbool (Late, PFFB), Ms.Neham Rehman (Milestone), Mr. Shafique Abbassi (STEP), these people’s efforts can not be forgotten in the history of disability movement.

Need for Self-Help Initiatives of Persons with Disabilities

Disabled people face a multitude of barriers that limited their access to Education, Employment, housing transportation, health care, rehabilitation and recreation. Disabled people are among the poorest of the poor. According to World Bank estimates, one in five of the world’s poorest people are disabled, and many of them live in low and middle-income groups. Lack of information about the opportunities and services available for persons with disabilities within the country and in rest of the world has forced them to be confined in their houses. On the other hand due to inadequate awareness in the society person with disabilities are not being accepted as useful human resources in the economic in the economic development.

Magnificent Outcome
The event was aimed to promote the efforts of Persons with Disabilities for their rights and contribution of all those organizations that have supported the disability movement in Pakistan at the same time it was an opportunity to rejoice one day of life for all.

It was attended by approximately one thousand Persons with Disabilities where all disability holders exhibit their products and services in 40 stalls including famous food courts, handicraft of Pakistan, Assistive devices and entertainers. Through mass media advertisements and pre-issued passes more than 3000 thousand people visited the event, at the same time it was an opportunity to enjoy the life for those people who have never ventured out in their lives due their disability and environmental barriers.
The ongoing struggle by people with disabilities to gain full citizenship is an important part of our Pakistani society. The disability rights movement shares many similarities with other civil rights struggles by those who have been denied equality, independence, autonomy, and full access to society.
Methodology and Implementation
Leading Persons with Disabilities of STEP having trainings from Japan and Thailand in the fields of Independent Living, Information and Communication Technology and Leadership were including the organizing committee who met regularly to finalize the program, participants list, and other arrangements. First meeting held on 24th September 2007, at Damn-e-Koh accessible sit out, and discussed our idea with a group of volunteers from different universities who were willing to contribute their time.

During the entire preparation representatives of STEP had meeting with Government departments, International NGOs, NGOs, Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs), business concerns and Multinational companies to get them involved in this unique activity and to sensitize them about the significance of inclusion of disabled persons in their system.

Collaboration with Government, NGOs, INGOs & DPOs
It was a great trial to organize a joint venture under with collaboration of government, NGOs, INGOs, DPOs and all disability stakeholders. Handicap International is the first organization which not only provided its services but also contacted and motivated government bodies and other organizations to organize a joint event. First meeting was held at Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA)’s office where all organizations including ERRA, Special Talent Exchange Programme (STEP), Handicap International, Milestone, Helping Hand , Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), decided to organize a Seminar, Exhibition and Walk on December 3rd (International Day of Disabled Persons) 2007 under a same theme “A voice of our own” at National Institute for Handicapped NIHd Islamabad.

Summary of the Activity
 110 out of city participants and exhibitor arrived on the evening at Youth Hostel Islamabad on 2nd December.
 Exhibition & Seminar was inaugurated by Lt General Nadeem Ahmed, Deputy Chairman ERRA.
 Attended by approximately one thousand Persons with Disabilities from all over the country.
 Launch of UN Convention for the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Urdu translation by STEP. Pakistan is one of few countries who translated the convention in their native language.
 Twenty shields were distributed on behalf of organizations and PWDs individually for their extra ordinary efforts in disability movement.
 Disability stakeholders and commercial organizations exhibit their products and services in 45 stalls including famous food courts, handicraft of Pakistan, assistive devices and entertainers.
 Peaceful walk, for the rights of PWDs was conducted and participated by Disability Stakeholders, DPOs and Persons with disabilities themselves.
 40 modern design wheel chairs, crutches other assistive devices were distributed among most deserving Persons with Disabilities.
 Full coverage and live transmission for electronic & print media.
 Dignitaries, Diplomats and Celebrities visited the festival in different timings and interacted with the exhibitors.
 Memorable musical evening by Basit Subhani, Gul and Usman (famous national singers). They made the evening classic for the PWDs by their beautiful songs.