Publication > Newsletter > Newsletter 13 > IDB Training to Empower Youths with Disabilities from Latin American and Caribbean Countries

IDB Training to Empower Youths with Disabilities from Latin American and Caribbean Countries

APCD collaborated with the Japan Program of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which organized Training to Empower Youths with Disabilities from Latin American and Caribbean Countries from 27 July to 8 August 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand. The main objective was to establish a network among persons with disabilities in Latin American and Caribbean countries; to collaborate in working together to empower persons with disabilities in their region and also create an opportunity to share their experiences with persons with disabilities in Asia-Pacific, Arab and South African countries.

The training consisted of twenty-two participants Participants of the training from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru, the Republic of Argentina and Venezuela.

The training curriculum was divided into four parts. The first part focused on Global Networking and the Asia-Pacific Region. Participants joined "The Seminar on South-to-South Cooperation for Decades of People with Disabilities" providing an opportunity to share information with other persons with disabilities from Asia-Pacific, Arab and South African countries.

Secondly, participants were taught the concepts of

Non-handicapping Environment for Persons with Disabilities
Community-based Rehabilitation
Advocacy Strategies and Skills
ICT for Persons with Disabilities and
Self-help Groups for Persons with Disabilities.

Thirdly, participants visited six organizations concerning empowerment of persons with disabilities to learn how persons with disabilities are involved in society.

Lastly, the participants took the knowledge, information and experiences gained from the training to make and present their country plan of action.

Participants' Interviews

Mr. Otto Pereda, Guatemala: "This training is very important for PWDs. It helps us seek new ways to struggle for our rights and improve situations to make a better world for all PWDs around the world. This training also has a balance of different disabilities. In my particular opinion, we do not have much opportunity to share with others and learn about cross-disabilities to break the barriers.

It is also important to keep networking with countries in the Asia-Pacific region to learn how these countries deal with disability-related issues. The best channels could be email and websites."
Mr. Jose Louis, Peru: "Thailand is a very beautiful country. I am very impressed to have had an opportunity to join this training with other disabled people from different countries. Before coming, I was expected to take the knowledge I will have gained here to implement in my country. I will do so. If possible, I would like to see collaboration between Latin America and the Asia-Pacific regions in order to enable PWDs to have more power to advocate and assert our rights. I also would like to keep in touch with everyone here by email."
Mr. Pablo Ceballos, Argentina: "I am very impressed with how staff take care of disabled people here. I have learnt a lot, such as accessibility, independent living and how we can help PWDs. I will take my knowledge and action plan to implement in my country. I am very glad to participate in this training to learn more. It is very useful. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.

On behalf of the Argentinean representatives, I would like to keep in contact and meet with the participants as much as I can so that we can share our experiences and information and also keep in touch by email."

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