APCD Mission Reports
Follow-up Mission to the Philippines
1-4 March 2006
1) Networking and Collaboration for NHE among the APCD's Government Focal Point, Former Participants and the JICA Philippines Office
A year prior to this Mission, the Training of Trainers on the Promotion of a NHE for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) was successfully organized in Manila from 1-4 March 2005 by the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) in cooperation with the JICA Philippines Office. This training involved local government units from 17 regions of the Philippines with each region sending officials from the Building and Transportation Authorities and representatives of persons with disabilities. Ex-trainees of APCD's NHE, Mr. Jaime G. Silva known as a blind architect and Mr. Armand Michael R. Eustaquio were core persons for the preparation and implementation of this training. The Mission facilitated further cooperation among NCWDP, ex-trainees and the JICA Philippines Office to organize a domestic workshop for active participants. Through the workshop, they were motivated and planned a project to promote further development NHE in rural areas.
2) Post-training Monitoring and Recruitment for the IL Training
The 2005 APCD IL Training was attended by 6 Filipino participants from 2 Associate Organizations; 2 persons from Spinal Cord Injury Foundation, Inc. (SCIF) in Manila and 4 persons from Handicapped's Anchor is Christ, Inc. (HACI) in Cebu.
2.1) SCIF, Manila
One of the ex-trainees, Mr. Abner Manlapaz, had an opportunity to take advanced Peer-counseling Training in Japan after the APCD IL Training and served as a leader for several Peer-counseling workshops in Manila. Thanks to his developed expertise, he was an Assistant Resource Person for APCD's international training on Peer-counseling in March 2006. Another ex-trainee, Ms. Sheryl, has been working hard to share the IL concept with the SCIF members and other relevant persons in Manila, and collaborates with NCWDP for including IL in the government policy on disability.
2.2) HACI, Cebu
After the APCD IL Training, 
4 participants from HACI
organized a project-taskforce for IL and held internal meetings
to review their learning and ensure a common understanding
of the IL concept in order to develop a feasible plan to
establish the IL Center. They already submitted a project
proposal on IL to the Redemptorist Church for financial
support. They hosted a domestic IL Training in August 2005
with technical support from the Human Care Association
Japan and involved more members with severe disabilities.
Former HACI participants have strong teamwork and are
trying to develop human resources to work for IL activities.
The Mission for the 2006 APCD IL Training interviewed 2
potential candidates for the IL Center's manager and peercounselor's
positions.
The Mission also visited the National Federation of Cooperatives of Persons with Disabilities (NFCPWD), which serves as the marketing and public relations arm of its many member cooperatives, in order to promote and guarantee a steady flow of business. The Mission appreciated their selfhelp endeavor and found that they also shared the same values as APCD; empowered PWD empowering others.
Mission Report to Uzbekistan
3-8 March 2006
APCD sent a mission to Uzbekistan 
and identified
the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population
as APCD's focal point in the government sector. On 6 March
2006, Mr. Inakov Alisher Kazakouich, Head of Social
Protection and Support Department and Ms. Kanitta
Kamolwat, Director of APCD signed the Minutes of Meeting,
agreeing to collaborate on disability matters. The Mission
had opportunities to visit some non-governmental organizations,
and learn about them as well as briefly present the APCD
Project. Organizations included the MILLENNIUM Youth
Social Legal and Rehabilitation Center, Uzbek Association
of the Blind, Uzbekistan Blind Society's Training Centre,
Blind Society's Department of Tashkent, Uzbek Society of
Deaf, and Uzbek Society of Disabled People. Associations
primarily organize production programs for their members,
some of which currently have difficulties in terms of finances and availability of raw materials. They are supported by the government in terms of tax.
The mission met with ex-participants of APCD's CBSHOD Seminars (Viet Nam in 2004 and Pakistan in 2005), Ms. Mahmadkulova Guljahon, Chairperson of MILLENNIUM and Ms Nodira Yuldasheva, Secretary of MILLENNIUM. After their return to Uzbekistan, they organized a seminar among local non-governmental organizations with 14 deciding to form the National Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations for Disabled Persons. The Mission exchanged the possibility of future collaboration on promoting self-help organizations of persons with disabilities, as APCD could mobilize resources to support the activity initiated by the ex-participant of APCD. The chairperson of MILLENNIUM expressed her wish that MILLENNIUM be developed and collaborate with international organizations through membership of the Disabled Peoples' International (DPI).
Mission to Kyrgyz Republic
4-6 March 2006
An APCD member undertook a mission to the Kyrgyz Republic, which has a population of over 5 million people.
The Prime Minister's Office, Department of Social and Culture Development, is responsible for Organizations of People with Disabilities. The Director-General, Mr. Sarybaee Asnbek Mukashevich, and the Officer-in-Charge of Disability, Mr. Asakeev Stalvlk Amanturovich, met with the APCD mission member and promised to collaborate with APCD and support Disabled Peoples' International to form a National Assembly; furthermore, they are willing to support the Central Asia Sub-Regional Assembly in the future.
After the Kyrgyz Republic's independence from the Russian Federation, the social infrastructure has been deteriorating, including disability and social security.
The current Labour Law (1999) states that a minimum of 4 percent (quota) of a company's employees should be persons with disabilities.
According to APCD ex-trainee, Mr. Shamyrbek Ydyrysov, 30 percent of persons with disabilities do not have adequate housing, and only 1 percent of students with disabilities are attending regular schools.
Approximately 300 Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are concerned with disability, of which 100 are run by people with disabilities.
There are basically two main groups of Disabled Peoples' Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic. One is the Independent Association of Women with Disabilities of the Kyrgyz Republic, led by Ms. Asipa Musaeva (President) who is also the National Coordinator and Council Member under the Ministry of Social and Culture Development. This Group is collaborating with the Union of Young Disabled People, led by Mr. Shamyrbek Ydyrysov, an APCD ex-trainee (CBSHOD 2005).
The other group is the Public Movement of the Disabled Young People of Kyrgyz Republic, led by Mr. Mirbek Asangariev, also an APCD ex-trainee (CBSHOD 2004). This organization has two supporting organizations; one is the National Organization Workers Association and the other is Bishkek University, which provides office space and student volunteers. The Public Movement of the Disabled Young People of Kyrgyz Republic is aiming to form a political party with people with disabilities participating in policy making and raising a voice of their own. Presently, there are 270 members. APCD mission had a meeting with both groups to encourage them to establish a National Assembly to unify the voices of persons with disabilities and collaborate with each other.
According to the Director-General of the Department of Social and Culture Development, there is the National Coordination Council under the Prime Minister. The members include several Ministries such as the Ministries of Education, Public Health, Transportation and Construction. There are also three NGO Representatives; Presidents of the Blind Association, Women Independent Association of Disabled of Kyrgyz Republic and Parent Association of Disabled Children. The Vice-Prime Minister is the Chairman and Vice-Ministers are members. They are seeking barrier-free accessibility for the built environment for transportation, job placements and promoting the sales of goods produced by people with disabilities.
Mission to Papua New Guinea 16-20 March 2006
During the Mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG), 
the
APCD mission visited and learned much concerning
disability-issues in the country. The APCD mission visited
and exchanged points of view with Governmental and Non-
Governmental Organizations. They made a courtesy call and
met with Honorable Anderson Vele, Member of Parliament
for Rio, who is a physically disabled person affected by
diabetes; a number of PWDs from various organizations also
joined the meeting. Then the Mission visited the
Departments of Health, Education, Labour, and the National Training Council. The Mission learned that the PNG
Government sector is emphasizing implementation for
persons with disability. The Department of Community
Development is the PNG focal point organization for APCD,
which is also an affiliate to the National Board for Disabled
Persons (NBDP) and is the host to propose the Draft on the
National Disability Policy to the Government and Cabinet
for approval. APCD also visited the Child Protection Division
of the United Nations Children's Fund. UNICEF-PNG gave
support to disability issues by providing support for the
survey for the drafting of the PNG National Policy on
Disability 2005. The Mission joined the PNG NBDP Board
Meeting; NBDP currently is the only National Coordination
Committee on Disability. The Mission made a community
visit to the Pari Village Community, which has more than 30
PWDs. Cheshire Homes for the Disabled provide residential
and physical therapy services for PWDs, especially with
severe disabilities. The PNG Rehabilitation Center is a
residential home for PWDs consisting of the Rotary Club
and Leathercraft Project for PWDs. This rehabilitation center
is the only one in the Port Moresby area. Through this mission,
APCD can see the strength and high commitment to
disability issues.
Mission to Myanmar
23-27 March 2006
Vision (WV), an international NGO for development. As an associate organization, APCD collaborated with WV in their HRD by providing SHG and CBR training to the Area Development Program (ADP) staff (2 persons from APCD's SHG course and another 2 persons from APCD's CBR course in 2005). Some of these ADPs have accommodated support for people with disabilities (PWD) as part of the Health Activity under ADP. WV used to have more specific disability projects, which now tend to be merged into the ADPs for sustainability.
The Mission had an exchange of information concerning
deaf persons with Dr. Kyi Minn, the new Operations Team
Leader for Health. Mr. Ko Kyaw Yu, President of Yangon
Association of the Deaf (YAD) and a former participant of
APCD's 2003 SHO and 2004 SHG training, was invited for
this meeting, since he joins WV's specific disability project
for deaf persons in Yangon. As WV and APCD recognize
that further development of YAD is very important, YAD was
encouraged to review regular activities so they can organize
themselves, prioritize necessary external supports required,
and contact WV and APCD for consultation regarding
additional necessary support and how it can contribute.
The Mission organized a monitoring meeting with former participants at JICA's NGO Room in Yangon and individual interviews with others who were unable to attend the meeting. Through this plenary meeting at JICA in Yangon, both CBR and SHG participants could get to know each other and establish a foundation for networking. Most former participants joined the meeting/interview and shared their post-training activities and plan to further their activities.
Among 8 townships in Mandalay, WV has been organizing ADPs in 4 townships. All 4 ADPs in Mandalay strategically focus on supporting PWD. "Chan Mya Thar Zi", the township where a CBR project had been conducted by WV from 1996-1999, has merged with ADP since 2000. Ms. Khaing Khaing Htun, Resource Person (RP) Assistant for the APCD's CBR 2005 Training, is engaged in the CBR project, and continues to work as the Community Development Facilitator under the ADP in the township. It is near the center of Mandalay with an approximate population of 20,000 persons including many factory and construction workers. The ADP has dealt with issues such as HIV/AIDS, Mother-Child Health, Mental Health, and Disability under "Health Activity". They also cooperate with various international organizations such as UNIFEM, UNDP, CARE and local groups including SHG of Women, etc. A SHG of PWD has developed as an outcome of the CBR project. The Mission had an opportunity to meet and learn about the SHG from executive members of SHG; who are role models for other PWD; persons such as one on the community's loan committee, a swimmer with a gold medal from the SEA Games in the Philippines, university students, and a popular tailor in the community. The SHG has approximately 100 members with half of them actively participating in SHG activities regularly. They have monthly meetings to exchange information and organize a common fund for micro-financing, from which the members can take a loan for their small businesses, etc. They are basically from poor families with an average monthly income of US$20-40. Through discussion with the executive members of the Chan Mya Thar Zi SHG, the Mission was convinced that they are fostering a strong self-help, and independent spirit, empowering each other.
