Mission Reports
Mission Report to India 29 - 31 December 2002
The mission team promoted the APCD project
An APCD mission team participated in the XVI National Conference on Mental Retardation in Calicut, India, from 29 - 31 December 2002 hosted by the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) and the Association for Welfare of the Handicapped (AWH) in collaboration with Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs). The theme of the annual Conference was Vocational Training and Job Placement Clients Satisfaction and Community-based Rehabilitation Model. The Conference was to raise public awareness on mental retardation, as well as promote activities to develop human resources in the southern part of , and culminate all efforts to effectively mainstream persons with mental disabilities in society. More than 100 NGOs concerned with disabilities participated in this National Conference which is the only one that covers all the states of ,a large country, geographically and population wise. There were many presentations on community-based rehabilitation models, practices and research. Indias one of the leading countries on community-based rehabilitation for persons with mental disabilities.
Mrs. Aloka Guha, Chairperson of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, is a powerful national leader promoting an awareness campaign, as well as humanity development for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Dr.Kunh Ahamed Kutty, President, Association for Welfare of the Handicapped (AWH) operates a school for inclusive education for children with disabilities, training schools, counseling centers, community-based rehabilitation, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs mainly based in Kerala, India.The AWH promoted disability awareness campaigns in the community simultaneously with the Conference with music, dancing and art performances.
APCD Chief Adviser, Prof. Akiie Ninomiya, presented the APCD Project, programs and information service, as well as regional networking and collaboration in order to maximize, utilize and mobilize local resources. He also gave a presentation on Mentally Challenged Persons and Ageing Society. Many NGO representatives positively responded to collaborating with APCD. APCD opened a booth during the Conference and provided information on the activities. The APCD mission team also visited the rural area in Kerala State in order to research community-based development for people with mental disabilities.
Seirei Asha Bhavan (the Seirei House of Hope), which collaborates with a Japanese NGO, has been developing a community-based program with vocational training, literacy classes, and recreation and sports. They have developed four village-based development centers utilizing regular houses in the community. Mr. Varghese Abraham, the Director who started this program since 1990 is now serving more than 100 persons with mental disabilities in several locations. His training of community leaders includes fund-raising, management and public awareness campaigns. He trains parents of mentally disabled children to be one of the leaders in each community-based program, and assigns a professional worker to the CBR program to train community people to be volunteers. This small grass-root approach project is very effective. Mr. Abraham′s dream is to have one community-based rehabilitation program in all districts in south Kerala.
]Mission Report to Chiang Mai 13 February 2003
The APCD mission team visited the province of Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 13 th, 2003 to study the community-based rehabilitation projects and independent living programs in Chiang Mai.
The mission team visited a self-help group
The mission met with Mr. Somchai Rungsilp, Disability and Development Manager of Handicap International, and Ms. Naiyana Waikham, Office Manager of the Institute of Sustainable Development Education Promotion in Chiang Mai. APCD received extensive knowledge on the CBR project conducted by various organizations in Chiang Mai. From this, the APCD mission consulted with Mr. Somchai Rungsilp about the preparation of APCD′s Community- based Rehabilitation Training Program for the region, which is planned to be held in Chiang Mai in June, 2003.
During this visit to Chiang Mai, the APCD mission team attended the seminar on "Sustainability Enhancement of Persons with Disabilities Leader Project" organized by Handicap International. The target groups of this training are leaders of persons with disabilities, who are members of the Provincial Rehabilitation Committee.
The mission visited Huay Sai village in Muang district to observe Independent Living project initiated by self- help organizations. APCD was very impressed to join the interview of two families on the activity of Independent Living. The APCD mission also had the chance to visit many other rural areas in Chiang Mai to study about the CBR program in Chiang Mai. This includes the Pong Yang sub-district, Mae Rim District to meet with sub-district administration organization members to discuss about sub-district administration organization roles and community development activity in the village level.
On this mission,APCD collabourated with the Director of Technical Promotion Office in Chiang Mai. The Director of the Technical Promotion Office promised to provide contribution to activities of APCD in the future and towards APCD′s CBR training course coming up in June 2003.
]Regional Networking and Collaboration
APCD sent mission teams to Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the Republic of the Fiji Island and the Lao People′s Democratic Republic to identify focal points with the Governments and NGOs, and for networking and collaboration between APCD and disability-related organizations.
]Mission Report to Viet Nam 13 - 19 February 2003
The mission team visited the Enterprise 203/Bright Future Group
APCD organized their mission to Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi Cities, Social Republic of Viet Nam from 13 to 19 February 2003 and visited five Governmental organizations (GOs) and eighteen Non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) was the major governmental organization on disability-related issues. The mission team met with Mr. Nghiem Xuan Tue, Standing Member and Director of the Office of National Coordination Council on Disability (NCCD) under MOLISA which is the focal point governmental organization for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Viet Nam. Mr. Tue promised to provide full support for APCD.
The APCD mission was very pleased to meet with Dr. Tran Trong Hai, Director of International Cooperation, and Ministry of Health (MOH). He is active in the Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) project for the past 10 years based on primary health care with approximately 20,000 workers in 40 provinces. Additionally, Handicap International (Viet Nam) has worked closely with MOH on designing a CBR model for Viet Nam
Disability Forum is a remarkable information focal point for disability-related organizations in Viet Nam , which connects those organizations well by information such as e-mail list, websites, etc. The APCD mission team was so impressed with the Disability Forum′s network and Ms. Nguyen Hong Ha, Program Coordinator who has been working very hard to promote the Forum. Further information about the Disability Forum is available at http://forum.wso.net
The team also visited Dong Hanh, a company run by PWDs which provides services for PWDs such as tourism and promotion of goods produced by PWDs.
The APCD team was successful in building collaboration and networking with GO and NGO. APCD′s Human Resource Development (HRD) and Information and Technology Communication (ICT) sub-division was also pleased that organizations expressed interest and collaboration in the recruitment procedures for APCD training courses.
]Mission Report to Fiji 2 - 7 March 2003
An APCD mission team went to Suva,Republic of The Fiji Islands from 2 to 7 March 2003 and met with five Governmental Organizations, and nine Non- governmental Organizations.
The mission team with repressentatives from PWDS Group
The mission team met with Mr. Setareki Macanawai, Vice-chairperson of Disabled Peoples′ International, Asia-Pacific Oceania Sub-regional Office and members of Fiji Disabled Peoples′ Association. Both organizations are priority Non-governmental Organizations for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Fiji.Fiji Disabled Peoples′ Association agreed to serve as the NGO focal point organization.
The mission team met with Hon. Ms. Adi Asenaca Caucau Filipe, Minister, Ministry of Women, Social Welfare, and Poverty Alleviation, who plays an important role on disability-related issues and works closely with Non-governmental Organizations on these issues. The APCD team also met with Mr. Rishi Ram, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and Director of the Fiji National Council of Disabled Persons (FNCDP), which is the focal point for Governmental Organizations for PWDs. Representatives of Non-governmental Organizations were also Council members.
Dr. Helen Tavola, Social Policy Adviser, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), who associates with 14 countries in the South Pacific and works closely with the UNESCAP Oceania Sub-regional Office in Vanuatuon disability-related issues also met with the mission team.
The APCD team met with 20 teachers from the Special Education Teachers′ Association to exchange information and share the concept of APCD. They expressed interest in networking with APCD both in the training implementation and information exchange.
]Mission Report to Lao PDR 17 20 March 2003
An APCD mission team visited Lao PDR from 17-20 March 2003 and received positive responses for cooperation with APCD after visiting five Governmental and five Non-governmental Organizations.
Mr.Ninomiya with representatives from the Lao Disabled People's Association
Lao PDR is a very small country of 5 million people with few organizations working for PWDs. However, there are valuable resource persons/organizations and impressive programs for PWDs.
In 1995 the government established the National Committee for Disabled People (NCDP), chaired by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. It is a collaborative body of Governmental Organizations such as the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education which support the Lao Disabled Peoples′ Association (LDPA) and the Lao Disabled Women Development Center (LDWDC).
Ms. Chanpheng Sivila, has a remarkable program for PWDs at the Lao Disabled Women Development Center (LDWDC). To our knowledge, this is the first women′s development center for the PWDs in the Asia-Pacific region which has been fully organized by Laotians. The vocational training includes a six months sewing class, a one month banana leaf papercraft, three months silk weaving class and a one month computer training class.
Trainees come from Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR, and five other provinces where the LDPA has provincial branches. Trainees stay in a dormitory at the Center. Amazingly, the Center accepts male students since they do not want to have gender discrimination also, there is no vocational center available for men with disabilities.
LDPA, an officially recognized NGO working for PWDs with branches in five provinces is an implementing as well as a coordinating body. They collaborate with the LDWDC to recruit trainees for their vocational school from the five provincial branches.
Mr. Singkham Takounphak, the President of LDPA and Mr. Bounviene Lanunggnot, a member of LDPA as well as the Secretariat of NCDP, promised to recommend potential leaders with disabilities for the APCD training courses.
Mr. Vangzay Phonelameuang, Project Coordinator for World Concern, has had a Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program in Sarawan Province for 10 years. Major programs are primary health care and clean water supply which help prevent disabilities for PWDs, they have rehabilitation and income generation programs .
Mr. Luc Delneuville and Mr. Ngo Thuc Tinh, from Handicap International (HI), continue to develop a CBR program and de-mine near the border of Viet Nam. Nearly 30 years after the Viet Nam War, one of the major causes of PWDs is the thousands of unexploded land mines still remaining in Lao PDR.
HI has conducted an analytical survey on CBR for PWDs interviewing more than 5,000 persons in communities in collaboration with the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC). They are also planning to organize a National Seminar on CBR from 12-15 May 2003 at Vientiane and invite local leaders of/for PWDs.
The overall outcome of the mission was significant in that we could establish cooperative and supportive relations with Lao PDR Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations. Also, we could identify some capable Lao PDR leaders with disabilities who could be good candidates for future APCD training courses.
