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November 30, 2006
Int’l disabled to participate in Vietnam music show
VietNamNet Bridge - A music performance named “The span of compassion”, which is scheduled for December 3 in HCM City, will introduce items performed by disabled from Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and some professional artists.
This is the first time a programme to celebrate the International Day for the Disabled (December 13) in Vietnam will see the participation of disabled from other countries.
The performance, sponsored by the Vietnamese Disabled People’s Assistance Association and the Nippon Fund, aims to raise the awareness of the community of the abilities and the possibilities for integration of the disabled.
This performance will be also held in Vientiane, Laos on November 25 and 26.
(Source: Tuoi Tre)
Posted by jicafriends at 03:03 PM | Comments (1)
November 27, 2006
Pakistan Special-November 2006
Dear Friends:-
Fresh issue of monthly Pakistan Special (November 2006) has been published from Islamabad (Pakistan). The fresh issue carries the following reports/articles/write-ups. Keep reading Pakistan Special.
1. Editorial.
2. Comprehensive report on RYLA ・The Deaf Way camp, held in Ichalkaranji (Kolhapur) India (Staff Report).
3. Report on JICA (japan International Cooperation Agency).
4. Shelter Workshop need of the hour for earthquake victims.
5. Special Olympics held in Bombay (India).
6. Rally on White Cane Safety Day.
7. TTT (Three True Tales).
8. Disability and Media: Research article.
9. The World Bank announces Small Grant Program.
10. Taj Mahal, Agra.
11. Open Letter.
12. Help Line for Special persons.
13. Matrimonial form.
14. And lot many informative and informational articles.
Cover price of Pakistan Special・is Rs 50 (Pak rupees fifty only) per month including postage.
Annual subscribers will get 20% discount @ Rs 40 per month i.e. Rs 480/- for one year (12 issues).
In Pakistan you can send Rs 480/- (for one year) through money order or bank draft. (Please don't send cheques or cross cheques).
For international subscribers US100$ or (Euro 100/-) per year including postage.
FOR ANY FURTHER INQUIRY OR INFORMATION PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT:
Farhat Abbas, Chief Editor monthly Pakistan Special,
H. No. 465, Street 74, Sector G ・8/1,
Islamabad ・Pakistan.
Phone: 051- 2260111, 051-2852496.
Fax: 051-2280319
Mobile: 0300-95 626 95.
e-mail: pakspecial@hotmail.com
pakspecial@gmail.com
Posted by jicafriends at 02:17 PM | Comments (1)
November 24, 2006
TRAINING REPORT : November 5, 2006 : Local Visit (Day 1) Go back to Global Navigation
November 5, 2006
Local Visit (Day 1)
This morning we set out on local visit to Hiroshima. We took Shinkansen – bullet train – from Tokyo. We were looking forward to see the highest mountain in Japan, Mt. Fuji from the train but unfortunately it was too cloudy.
On the way to Hiroshima, we stopped by at Kyoto and visited a barrier-free temple, Sanjusangendo to learn about the accessibility and tourism. As autumn is the best season for sightseeing in Kyoto, the temple was filled with tourists from all over the world. At Kyoto station, we hired a taxi with a lift. This made it possible for us to move in this popular city of Kyoto.
As it was going to be a long walk to see the temple, at the entrance we rent three wheelchairs for participants from Laos and Vanuatu and for Mr. Ueno, chairperson of planning committee.
We observed the accessibility as follows.
1. There is accessible toilet for wheelchair users;
2. Wheelchairs are available for rent;
3. Baby carriages are available for rent;
4. Wheelchair users can freely move inside the temple;
5. Guide dogs and assistant dogs can enter inside;
6. Communication by writing is available for persons with hearing impairments;
7. There is a miniature of standing Kannon statue for persons with visual impairments to touch and recognize how the figure is;
8. Explanation and guide is given in Braille.
Tourism is one of the most important fields for income generation in many countries. If the tourist sites become accessible, the increasing number of people with disabilities will visit, therefore promoting more tourism in the countries. It provides more opportunity for persons with disabilities to visit and to participate in the society. We feel the disability issues should be addressed more in tourism.
We continued our journey to Hiroshima. When we got to JICA Hiroshima where we stay next 5 days, we were astonished by and pleased with its modern and comfortable accommodation.
* Sanjusangendo is located in eastern Kyoto. It was founded in 1164 and its present structures date from 1266. The temple is famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The central image is a seated figure of the Kannon with 11 faces and 1000 arms (a National Treasure), surrounded by 1000 smaller standing statues of the thousand-armed Kannon.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1105.html
Posted by jicafriends at 05:35 PM | Comments (0)
Education for Children with Visual Impairments in Mongolia
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Mongolian Students say State is Blind to the Visually Impaired
Written by B. Bulgamaa
Wednesday, 22 November 2006
MonInfo, Mongolia reports: Following disputes concerning a previous
director, students from Secondary School #116, the only school in
Mongolia for visually impaired children, still suffer from a lack of
resources, professionally trained teachers and help from the state
authorities, according to ministerial officials. “Although the
Mongolian state put more attention on disabled children’s education
before 1990, it was lost from the state’s attention since that period,
” B. Batbold, Chairman of Primary and Secondary Policy Coordination
Department at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science told
MonInfo Wednesday.
“In the last two or three years the state only just started to pay a
little attention to the education of disabled children,” he said.
Since 2004 the pupils of the visually impaired children’s school,
Secondary School #116, the only one of its kind in Mongolia put demands
to the Ministry of Education about improving the education environment
and quality and the personal characters of the teachers and workers of
the school were very bad, according to the students. Protests and a
hunger strike eventually resulted in the changing of the school’s
director, but even today the students frequently discuss the quality of
their educational leaders.
“This year the Ministry just started to give us students’ books and
until this year we couldn’t prepare for subjects because there was only
one book for every other student and even the teacher had to take a book
away from us to use,” students said Wednesday. Read more at MonInfo.
Image copyright Luke Distelhorst.
http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/836/2/
Posted by jicafriends at 05:28 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 2, 2006 : "Workshop on Proposal Writing I"
November 2, 2006
"Workshop on Proposal Writing I"
by Ms. Sarajean Rossitto Go back to Global Navigation
Today we had the first workshop on Proposal Writing by Ms. Sarajean Rossitto. A project proposal is a useful means to convey one’s idea of activities to other people in a written form. Each participant is being requested to write and submit Action Plan to JICA at the end of this training. Its aim is to describe what they leaned from the training in Japan and also what action they will take upon their return home by making use of their learning.
This workshop on proposal writing facilitated participants with skills to write their Action plan. The participants could start writing some of each section of their Action Plan during this workshop. This writing process helps participants make their ideas more concrete and feasible.
Three days individual training which starts from tomorrow will help participants widen and deepen their undestanding of specific issues of their interests and therefore their ideas for Action Plan.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1102.html
Posted by jicafriends at 04:55 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 27, 2006 : Workshop on Organization Management
October 27, 2006
Workshop on Organization Management
Ms. Yukie TAGUCHI, Program Officer, Center for Public Resources Development
It's relatively easy to form a group among people with the same interests. To manage the group, however, is another thing. When it comes to even a bigger organization, especially with a limited budget, how do we run the organization, organize its activities and manage the people involved ?
Today we learned about the characteristics of non-profit organization (NPO). Analyzing a case study of real NPO, we learned some factors of organization management.
(Lecture material : case study)
In the afternoon we studied how to make budget mainly for human resources. Based on the organization and problem analysis we did in Project Formulation workshop, each of us created the budget for plans of action on our return home, and the participant from Belize presented his result.
(Lecture material : http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/material/lecture/1027/index.html)
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1027.html
Posted by jicafriends at 04:51 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 26, 2006 : JICA-net Conference
October 26, 2006
JICA-net Conference
JICA-net Conference gives the participants an opportunity to learn the firsthand experiences of former participants who have already utilized their learning in Japan in their home countries and have been actively worked as a leader with disabilities.
Last year we invited two former participants from Fiji and the Philippines and had a meaningful conference by using satellite. This year we asked Mr. Carlos Kaiser from Chile, a participant of Leaders' course 2003, to be a guest speaker for JICA-net conference
Mr. Kaiser established the first center of Independent Living in Chile as he planned in his Action Plan. This March Ms. Michele Bachelete, the new president of Chile appointed him as the National Director of the National Found of Disabilities' Issues (this is the government agency of disabilities) and now he has become one of the prominent leaders with disabilities.
Through the screen we could recognize the face of Carlos and his wife. He had also asked Ms. Angelica Romeo, a former participant of Leaders' course 2000, to attend the conference. She is an active blind lady and gave all participants her frank opinions from a perspective of a person with visual impairment.
Participants asked questions such as "how to approach to the government", "how Carlos got his government officials to implement policies for persons with disabilities", "how to include persons with severe disabilities", "how to organize the barrier-free tourism for persons with visual impairments in Chile" etc.
Carlos left us with the following key words.
* Have cross disability efforts
* Work as a team.
* Build a Good network with mass media or mass communication.
* Appeal to society and authority by conducting peaceful demonstration.
* Make good impact and good change to society
* Live as a responsible member of society, not as a passive person who only receive.
Seven participants were very impressed and moved to see how Carlos and Angelica have realized their dreams and work as leaders in their country.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1026.html
Posted by jicafriends at 04:49 PM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2006
The International Conference on Tsunami Disaster Preparedness of Persons with Disabilities
The conference will be held on January 11-12, 2007 in Phuket, Thailand.
Objectives of the conference:
Establishing international networking for Promotion of Tsunami Preparedness of Persons with Disabilities in the context of WSIS (United Nations World Summit on the Information Society) Plan of Action implementation by sharing information on;
1. Needs of Persons with Disabilities for Tsunami Preparedness with special attention to respective components of individual preparedness such as logical understanding on Tsunami, accessible communication channel for warning, and planned/confirmed evacuation route,
2. Best practices of Tsunami Preparedness promotion activities that meet the requirements of Persons with Disabilities,
3. On-going Tsunami Disaster Prevention/Mitigation initiatives at local/international level,
4. Initiatives of Bridging the Digital Divide in the area of Disaster Preparedness of Persons with
Disabilities as the implementation of WSIS Plan of Actions,
Further information:
http://www.apcdproject.org/tsunami.html
Posted by jicafriends at 04:48 PM | Comments (3)
TRAINING REPORT : November 14, 2006 : Proposal Writing II by Sarajean Rossitto
This morning we had the second workshop on proposal writing by Ms. Rossitto.
Participants had prepared their draft Action Plan. They were divided into three groups and described verbally summary of their plan in five minutes and gave a feedback to each other. They found out it is quite hard to summarize it in limited time.
Ms. Kawamura and Ms. Kashiwagi, committee members, participated and gave the participants some advice on the contents of their Action Plan.
The afternoon was spent to work individually and compete their Action Plan.
Tomorrow we make a presentation on our Action Plan.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1114.html
Posted by jicafriends at 02:19 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2006
Fit for exam, but unfit for babudom
Fit for exam, but unfit for babudom
Rema Nagarajan
[ 5 Nov, 2006 0108hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: May 8, 2006. That's the day when 12 candidates with different kinds of disabilities were selected in the all-India civil service examinations 2005 batch, filling the 3% quota for disabled for the first time since the Disability Act was passed in 1995.
But the euphoria has given way to despair as three of the selected candidates, all with varying levels of hearing impairment, have not been allotted any service.
Ironically, while two of them have been denied postings on the grounds that their disability was too acute to allow them to perform any of the civil service jobs, one has been kept out on an exactly opposite reasoning - she is not sufficiently disabled to qualify for the quota.
In the case of Abhijit Chakraborty from Calcutta, (rank 424 on the overall list) medical certificates say his disability level is 50%. However, the medical examination done in Safdarjung Hospital after he was selected concluded that he is 100% deaf.
Abhijit appealed against this conclusion, pointing out that he had gone through the interview/personality test for selection to the civil services without any aid. He couldn't have possibly heard and answered questions if he was 100% deaf.
A second medical examination followed at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. The RML doctors concluded that his hearing level is 80 decibels, which definitely did not amount to 100% deafness. Still, he hasn't been given a service allotment yet.
Maniram Sharma, who's from a village in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, ranked highest among all the candidates with hearing impairment, but was given no service as he too has been judged to be completely deaf. Maniram had been selected for the civil services in 2004 as well, but sent back without being allotted any service.
He wrote the exams again and was selected in the 2005 batch, with no difference to the ultimate outcome. Officials at the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) are wondering why he has not appealed against the decision.
They defied odds to fulfil their ambitions
Rema Nagarajan
[ 4 Nov, 2006 2328hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: Everyone said they could not do it. However, every "physically handicapped candidate" selected for the IAS has proved that the bogey created about the "physical rigours" of being an IAS officer is just that, a mindset that has kept disabled people out of the service.
The physical aspect of civil services training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, including trekking, regular physical training (PT) and horse riding is cited as a tough hurdle for people with disabilities.
The other stumbling block for disabled people is supposed to be the first part of an IAS officer's career, the district posting, regarded to be physically tough.
Ravi Arora, who has very low vision, and Ulaganathan P, who has mild polio in one leg, both selected for IAS in 2005, are currently training at the academy.
Rigzin Samphael, who has a stiff knee joint that restricts mobility, is joint magistrate in Moradabad district and Lokesh Kumar D S, who has mild polio in one leg, is sub-collector of Pandheru division in Visakhapatnam.
They were all selected for IAS in the 2002 batch and are now doing their district posting. All these candidates laugh off notions about just how physically tough the training or the service itself is.
"Every year at least 20-30 or more regular candidates are exempted from trekking or even PT for various reasons, including temporary disability like a fracture or illness. It is not disabled candidates alone who seek exemption. Instead of trekking, they can choose to do a study programme.
Horse riding too is not compulsory," says Arora.
Ulaganathan agrees that too much is made of the physical aspect of IAS training. "Everyone right from the academy director to all my colleagues are very co-operative and I have never had any problems. Yes, the academy is in a hilly area and even the able-bodied sometimes find it difficult.
But it is not an insurmountable problem," he says.
Samphael's superior, Moradabad DM Pandhari Yadav also pooh poohs notions about how physically demanding the district posting is.
"Physically, not much is required of an IAS officer. As part of his field duties he might have to walk 100-200 metres. But it is not a race and he can set his own pace," says Yadav'Why subject us to humiliation?
Rema Nagarajan
[ 4 Nov, 2006 2327hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: The UPSC has not allotted any service to three candidates with disabilities despite successfully clearing the exam.
Salma Fahim from Bangalore, (rank 386), a hearing impaired candidate, was not given any service, because the Safdarjung doctors said she is only 38% disabled. You can avail of the disability quota only if your percentage of disability is 40% or more.
She has appealed against this. A second medical examination said her hearing level was 55 decibels, which puts it above 40% and hence makes her eligible for the quota.
Her own medical certificate says her hearing level is 75 decibels. So far she has not been allotted any service.
"Why are disabled candidates being subjected to the humiliation of repeated tests to prove their disability? How can they be harassed and called for repeated tests because doctors make mistakes in conducting the medical examination? Why are their medical certificates, issued by proper
> medical authorities, being questioned repeatedly? This is nothing but plain discrimination against the disabled who have fought all odds to clear the civil services which is tough even for the so-called able-bodied," says Javed Abidi, convenor of Disability Rights Group.
Deputy Director General (Disability Division) in the Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment Ministry, Ashish Kumar describes the problems the candidates are facing as "unfortunate" and feels they ought to appeal before the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) so that he can intervene on their behalf and ensure that justice is done.
Brahm Dutt, Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, the recruiting authority for civil services, is concerned over how much harassment the disabled candidates have to go through.
"We have been writing persistently to the ministries to identify as many posts as possible for the disabled candidates. I don't want to reject a single candidate and no one has been rejected. We are working on accommodating all of them. Every selected candidate wi
Aqeel
Posted by jicafriends at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)
Maharashtra orders concessions for students with learning disorders
Maharashtra orders concessions for students with learning disorders
The Indian Catholic, Education News, November 1, 2006
Finally acknowledging that tackling schoolwork is an uphill battle for children with learning disabilities like dyslexia, the Maharashtra government has spelt out a number of concessions for them that schools will have to abide by
For children with learning disabilities in Mumbai, school life has just become a little easier with Maharashtra issuing a government resolution spelling out concessions for students with dyslexia (reading disability), dysgraphia (writing disability), dyscalculia (disability in carrying out mathematical calculations) and dysnomia (dictation disability).
The concessions to such students with respect to choice of subjects, levels of learning and exams follows a Bombay High Court order directing the state to make the changes in favour of students with learning disorders.
According to the resolution, students with learning disabilities should:
Be given extra time to finish their examinations, and be permitted a writer.
Study a lower level of mathematics and be exempt from learning languages other than English.
Not be asked to submit lengthy answers in homework or in their exam papers. Errors in spelling and grammar should also be ignored.
If a junior school student suffers from dyscalculia, teachers should ignore interchanged numbers (for instance, 12 written as 21). Students from Class 1-9 who fail exams should get 20 grace marks.
Schools that do not abide by these directives will face contempt of court charges. They have also been instructed to periodically check whether students whose results are dissatisfactory suffer from learning disabilities.
According to experts, every Mumbai school has an average of 50 students with learning disabilities -- children with normal levels of intelligence who fall behind the rest of the class because their teachers and parents haven't recognised that they have a learning disorder. With the implementation of the new rules, this problem may well be resolved.
Parents of children with learning disorders have hailed this as a victory against an unsupportive education system that left them, and not the schools, shouldering the burden of their children's struggle to keep up with their classmates in the face of heavy odds. Many report having to face apathy from teachers, principals and school administrations when confronted with the problem.
Pallavi Singh (name changed), mother of a 15-year-old with a learning disability says she is happy with the concessions. But, she adds, the approach of teachers also needs to change. "They still fail to acknowledge that a child is different and needs to be treated differently." Admitting that schools often ignore cases of learning disability, president of the Maharashtra Dyslexia Association Kate Currawala says that even if there are provisions for students with learning disabilities they are not usually implemented. "Schools need to take initiatives so that the disability is identified at the earliest," says Currawala.
In fact, some parents who have fought long and acrimonious battles with their children's schools in an effort to make them acknowledge the problem, insist it is not new rules but stricter implementation of existing ones that is the real issue.
Fourteen-year-old Justin Bharucha’s academic performance was as good as any other student's up till Class 4. But then he started making spelling mistakes all the time. "At first, I thought he just needed to work harder and enrolled him in a coaching class. When that didn't help, I became alarmed," says his mother. When a medical examination revealed that Justin was dyslexic, acceptance of the problem was slow and painful.
"When we finally came to terms with this we approached his school for help. They refused to acknowledge the problem. Even after a couple of sessions with the principal, who could clearly see what my son was going through, they refused to help."
"As my awareness about concessions for dyslexics grew, I kept going back to his school to fight for them. After all, it was Justin’s right," says Bharucha. "Whenever a court ruled in support of LDs, I would get hopeful again. But every new judgment just ended in an unsuccessful battle with the school management." SSC board chairman Vasant Kalpande says all efforts are being made to implement the concessions for special students. He added that students with learning disabilities are already allowed to sit for two language papers only, instead of three. "From 2007, students with learning disabilities will be allowed to use calculators," Kalpande adds.
Source: http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=4231
Aqeel
Posted by jicafriends at 01:13 PM | Comments (4)
Role of technology in rehabilitation of the disabled
Role of technology in rehabilitation of the disabled
Dr SAROJ THAKUR, an eminent professor of communications from National Institute of Technology (formerly, Regional College of Engineering), Hamirpur, represented Him Vani at the Utsav India 2006 seminar on differently-abled children, held in Shimla on October 1, 2006. Following are the excerpts from her presentation.
The word "Disabled", in itself, seems daunting enough to upset anyone. But what does it mean? If I am not able to see well because of poor eyesight, am I not a disabled person? Or for that matter if the power breaks down or the Public address system used to help my voice reach you fails, would I not be unable to reach you all? Or worse still, if because of some psychological barrier or mental blocks, I would not be able to perform well, would it not depict inability on my part to give my best? This means in simple terms that any physical, mental or psychological impairment would make a person disabled and handicapped to perform certain acts that he otherwise could perform.
From this perspective all of us are disabled at one time or another and in one way or another. Then why to label and bench mark some specifically challenged persons as Disabled? And what role can technology play in removing some barricades that hinder us from giving our best. When the first man might have attached a wooden handle to a stone to ease his workload and for better efficiency, it was the first step towards using technology for betterment of life. When we talk of betterment of life and the use of Technology for the same, we must understand the difference between Information, Knowledge and Wisdom that make the big difference in the application of Technology.
Information is just collection of data that has become a guiding force behind all research work, Knowledge is application of that Information to produce some worthwhile technology, and the Wisdom is application of the Technology for the betterment of society. This is changing information into knowledge. Once we change information into knowledge only then we will know how we are going to update our society. And wisdom is to apply all that knowledge for the betterment of the society.
To make it more clear I'll cite Bertrand Russell. Russell in one of his essays writes about the Educational system. In the name of education what we are giving to students today is not the proper education, we are just giving them information, some data. Russel further questions-what is wisdom?
Technology enables us to reach the chosen end but it would not tell us which end is the best. If you wish to exterminate the human race it would tell you how to do it and on the other hand if you want to provide food to the entire human race, it would have means to do the same. Technology has made us so advanced that either we can produce more food to give enough food to every mouth. Or on the other hand we can do certain things with the help of technology, say like exterminating half the population so that to provide sufficient food to the rest of the people. . So which one should we adopt or must adopt. Everybody knows that it is production of more food that is the right solution. But who tells us that? It is wisdom. This understanding comes to us through Wisdom. Wisdom-that society, values, beliefs and our culture alone can teach us.
Technology in fact is just a tool in the hands of the people, and how do we make use of that tool depends upon wisdom. Wisdom is some practice, some cultural conditioning which has taught us what to do under what conditions.
As it is welfare of all the constituents of a society that is the guiding mantra behind any Welfare society, therefore, the onus for the welfare of the challenged people comes to depend upon technology. I am so happy to note that this workshop aims at finding some solutions for initiating a partnership among the Society, Media, Technology and the Corporate world to come to help the disabled in the society.
Technology for disabled is one such thing, where wisdom is needed to benefit people who need it. What a great role Technology can play for the welfare of disabled can be best cited by the glaring example of Stephen Hawking, the Scientist of renown.
Stephen Hawking, the world's foremost living theoretical physicist, cannot move body parts below his neck. Hawking has suffered from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) since he was a young man and is confined to a wheelchair. Despite all this, he has been able to write many books, give many presentations and attend seminars. He is said to occupy Einstein's chair, which in fact is a great honor for any living scientist. This person is so disabled, if going by parameters of disability, that he cannot even move any body part When he was 18years old, studying at Cambridge University, he came to know that he was having some sort of nerve disorder and doctors had predicted his life just two more years. He has written a book about his experiments with ALS ( a serious nerve disorder), he says that I don't feel that I am having any problem. It is because, that he has been looking forward in life, he never thought for a second that he would be dying in two years. He planned for his future, got married continued his Ph.D. all the while he was suffering from different medical problems.
After an operation he was unable to speak. He did not curse anyone for his destiny. Before the operation, his speech had been getting more slurred, so that only a few people who knew him well, could understand him. But at least he could communicate. He wrote scientific papers by dictating to a secretary, and gave seminars through an interpreter, who repeated his words more clearly. However, the tracheotomy operation removed his ability to speak altogether. For a time, the only way he could communicate was to spell out words letter by letter, by raising his eyebrows when someone pointed to the right letter on a spelling card. It is pretty difficult to carry on a conversation like that, let alone write a scientific paper. A computer expert in California, called Walt Woltosz, heard of his plight. He sent him a computer program he had written, called Equalizer. This allowed Hawking to select words from a series of menus on the screen, by pressing a switch in his hand. The program could also be controlled by a switch, operated by head or eye movement. With the help of technology he can now work on different gadgets. With the movement of his eyelashes he can write and communicate. It is one example that technology has helped people with disability but what people need not just technology but a will to survive and excel. Out of a crumpled, voiceless body in a wheelchair, the mind of Stephen W. Hawking soars and summons expression by pressing a finger and thumb to a small control box in his lap. Slowly, one word or letter at a time, sentences appear on the lower half of a compact computer screen attached to the chair. And a new history is created.
I have come to the understanding that all of us are disabled in one form or other, at one time or another. I consider myself disabled as compared to others who are doing much better than me, if some mental, attitudinal or technical block hinders me to progress. Technology is one thing, which we are using, in everyday life to tackle such disability in almost every one. So why to bring out a distinction for some one who is born with some impairment? Why can't we put it as a challenge to be faced? When we announce the word challenge it generates a positive vibration. I just look at it-I have to do it, it is a challenge. Disable or unable generates a negative frame of mind, the feeling that I can't do it.
Impairment can be physical, social, or psychological, some lack which I am born with. Physical e.g. I cannot speak that is physical impairment for me, I am afraid to speak in a social group that is psychological impairment for me. Impairment leads to disability and this disability becomes a handicap. Handicapped people are, in fact, those people who were not able to win over their disability, who cannot find a solution to their impairment. If somebody is fat, we give a second look to him or her, and that makes that person feel different. Social attitude brings about a perception in the minds of disabled people as being different from the others. And this creates aloofness in them, to remain invisible if possible!
Technology comes as a great relief to such people. Technology as a tool has to be used judiciously to bring about a change in the life style of such people, to help them join the mainstream to make them a useful part of the society. If people had thought that money is being wasted on Hawking, we would have been deprived of the brilliance and the commendable contribution that he has made to the field of science. If we might question the efficacy of spending money on the disabled, we would be deprived of people like Hawking.
All of us are disabled in some form or the other. A book called 'Shadow Syndrome' outlines that nobody is perfect, all of us are abnormal. Are we not disabled if power breakdown disables the Public Address system and we might have to shout, then why single out someone as disabled.
Another book by Anthony Robbins cites a story about a teacher who went out to teach slum children. Everybody said that these children would not learn, but undaunted by the prejudiced opinions, she started teaching them classics like Shakespeare etc. And the change was seen very soon as the children followed so well. Till that time everyone had underestimated their learning capability and had never taken the initiative to teach them as normal children. So the difference was made by bringing out a change in the attitude of Society towards such children.
Why do we underestimate someone's capabilities? We should not underestimate someone's capabilities, these children whom we called disabled cab be an asset for our society.
As disability rights are a new dimension in the human rights regime, much needs to be done to develop awareness and enhance capacity of various institutions, and individuals. In practical terms this means that not only people with disabilities should be helped to gain skills, knowledge and instruments vital to their participation but it is equally crucial that the Media, the Society, the Corporate world and the Government should join hands to eradicate vicissitudes of injustices resulting in exclusion of persons with disabilities.
When I talked about Hawking's triumph in communicating his ideas through Technology, I forgot to mention the role played by other Institutuions to rehabilitate him at other fronts as well. When it became very difficult for him to manage the stairs, the College authorities offered them a ground floor flat in a house that they owned. This suited him very well, because it had large rooms and wide doors. It was sufficiently central that he could get to his University department, or the College, in his electric wheel chair.
Thus it is apparent that the problem needs to be tackled from different angles as it has multidimensional nature.
The Technical Institutes like NIT Hamirpur, can provide a knowledge base for developing new technologies for the welfare of the disabled. The Mechanical department can innovate and design like new and improved wheel chairs, the Civil Department can bring about improved modifications in housing and parking structures, the Electrical, the Computers and the Electronics Departments can also contribute their mite in developing new Technologies for the Disabled. But for this the Corporate world should come forward to provide financial assistance to develop R & D facilities in collaboration with the Technical Institutes. Similarly the Media, both Web and Print, can play its role in educating people about their social responsibilities and the Government through its policies and implementation thereof can usher the disabled to a world where they would be a proud citizens of the country.
I would conclude my presentations by citing the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking, "I am quite often asked: How do you feel about having ALS? The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many."
And this is what should be the aim of Technology for the welfare of the Disabled-to make them feel as normal as any other in the society!
Aqeel
Posted by jicafriends at 01:03 PM | Comments (1)
NATIONAL LEVEL UNIQUE EXHIBITION ON AIDS/ APPLIANCES
SAMARTHYA -2006, - A NATIONAL LEVEL UNIQUE EXHIBITION ON AIDS/ APPLIANCES
AND SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND ELDERLY
Press Release, Monday, November 06, 2006, PIB
As per the National Census 2001, 2.1% of India's population suffers from one or other kind of disability. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the State Governments are committed to ensure equal opportunity to this section of population and their development to their full potential. In this endeavour the role of assistive devices, awareness about prevention, early identification of disabilities, early intervention and other such services is very crucial. In addition sociological changes like break down of joint family system, increase in average life span etc. are leading to creation of new vulnerable groups as elderly persons that need social protection, rehabilitative therapies and mobility and other such aids.
"SAMARTHYA 2006", Chandigarh organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with State Government of Punjab & Haryana, is an exhibition of assistive devices, teaching kit, learning material services and barrier free features that not only provides a unique opportunity for obtaining information on technologies available in the field of disability, but also provides a forum for exchange of ideas among the users and providers of rehabilitation services. It also aims at creating awareness about prevention, early intervention and barrier free environment among general public.
This is tenth in series of exhibitions organized by the Ministry after the nine successful events held in different states. Free furnished exhibition space and reimbursement of 2nd class rail fare for two persons/ organization is provided to short listed manufacturers/ NGOs for display their products/ service during the exhibition. The Government Department are also encouraged to put up information about their Schemes & facilities etc. for persons with disabilities/elderly persons.
Samarthya 2006, Chandigarh is going to be a unique exhibition were a record number of Manufacturers/ Fabricators, NGOs and Govt. organizations are participating. In addition some new activities like organization of mobile courts for redressing the grievance of persons with disabilities, screening of audio described films for visually impaired, interstate quiz competitions for Aganwadi workers etc. are being attempted. The visitors can also avail the benefits of free eye/ear and IQ testing, counseling for backaches, joint pains, learning difficulties of children and other rehabilitation issues.
The persons with disabilities can also get free aids and appliances in accordance with the provisions of the ADIP scheme of the Ministry. As in this belt lot of persons suffers from loss of fingers/limb due to agricultural accidents provisions have also been made for measurement and fitment of artificial limbs, cosmetic prosthesis like fingers etc.
In all the exhibition will not only benefit the persons with disabilities/ elderly persons and their families but can be a learning experience for all persons directly or indirectly associated in working towards the welfare of the target group like Doctors, Nurses, Anganwadi /Health workers, Teachers, Architects, Engineers and other such personnel as well as the general public.
Some of the interesting features of SAMARTHYA 2006, Chandigarh are
1. Display and fitment of good quality cosmetic prosthesis - Ramaiah Hospital, Banglore with funding from Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI has developed a technique of making Low cost, good quality, silicone cosmetic prosthesis (fingers, ears etc.) that totally matches with the Indian skin colours. Interested persons can give their measurements and get the fitments during the exhibition.
2. Display of range of softwares, CDs, training kits for education and day to day needs of persons with disabilities - New, systematic and easy ways of teaching that can help the parents and teachers of children with special needs as well as normal kids.
3. Display of newly developed low cost low vision aids - CSIO, Chandigarh with funding from Ministry has developed cheap, light weight and effective low vision aids like telemicroscope, hand held illuminated lens for reading etc.
4. Making Home for all ages - Most of our homes are designed with the assumption that a person would remain fit, young and agile all through his life. But the needs of a person may undergo tremendous changes especially during the latter part of life. A life size home constructed at exhibition site brings out the design features that make the home safe and comfortable for everyone, young and old, whether they have disability or not.
5. Screening of audio described films. - Films that can also be enjoyed by visually impaired without assistance of any person. Screening of two such films- "Black" and "Hanuman" areplanned on first and last day of the exhibition respectively.
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=21772
Aqeel
Posted by jicafriends at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 24-25, 2006 : Project Formulation Workshop
October 24-25, 2006
Project Formulation Workshop
by Ms. Junko NOGUCHI, Foundation for Advanced Study on International Development (FASID)
What is project?
Project is to achieve concerete objectives in a defined timeframe using defined budget. With Ms. Noguchi, we learned to analyse organization, stakeholders, and problems. These analyises gave us some fundamental infomation to formulate a project. We were divided into two groups and presented the results of analysis to each other.
Ms. Noguchi explaining cycle of improvement participant from Laos participant from Colombia
This exercise is very usuful. Because we reflected on our own situations of persons with disabilities through the process of analysis, we could start thinking more concretely about our action plan upon our return home. Today we had presence of Mr. Ueno, chairperson of planning committee to share the learning experience.
classroom
On the second day, not only Mr. Ueno but another committee member Ms. Kashiwagi and Ms. Ueno, expert on international cooperation, manager of international relation division of JSRPD, joined us.
Ms. Kashiwagi, committee member Ms. Ueno, manager of international relations division, JSRPD
We continued to work on our project formulation. Based on the problem analysis in the first day, we considered which issues should be dealt in a project. Then we write down step-by-step concrete activities to be taken in order to achieve the purpose. At the end of two days sesseion, we came up with our own Project Plan format.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1024and25.html
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TRAINING REPORT : October 23, 2006 PM : Lecture : Movement of Persons with Disabilities in Japan, Up to the Dawn of Japan Disabilities Forum
October 23, 2006 PM
Lecture : Movement of Persons with Disabilities in Japan, Up to the Dawn of Japan Disabilities Forum
Mr. Katunori Fujii, Board Chairman of Japan Disability Forum and Executive Director of Japan Council on Disability
Mr. Fujii started his lecture by talking about his personal history. When he was a teacher at the special school, many questions came up to his mind.
"Why is there a "school-entry screening procedure"?
"Why is the school-entry of children with more severe disabilities rejected?"
"Why don’t children with disabilities like summer/winter holidays?"
"Why is there no place for students with disabilities to go after school graduation?"
Then he decided not to face away from paradox and contradictions of the society and devoted himself to disability movement.
Mr. Fujii also introduced how Japan Disabilities Forum was established and explained importance of working together with other disability groups.
Before closing his lecture, he asked each participant to tell him about his/her dream and what they want to acheive in five years.
Participants answered as follows ;
* I may be working for employment promotion of persons with visual impairments. Hopefully I set up a sheltered workshop by that time.
* In 2011 my center can accept not only children and youth, but also elderly people.
* By 2011, I would like to establish cross-disability organization in my country.
* I would like to start personal assistant service in my country and enable persons with disabilities to go to school.
* By that time, I would like to establish a network among disability organizations in my country.
* With my efforts, the number of employees with disabilities would be doubled in five years.
* I would like to work for awareness raising and change the society.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1023pm.html
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TRAINING REPORT : October 23, 2006 AM : History of the Global Disability Movement
October 23, 2006 AM
History of the Global Disability Movement
Lecture by Mr. Yutaka Takamine, Professor of Faculty of Law nad Letters, University of the Ryukyus
Mr. Yutaka Takamine lectured in JICA Okinawa and we relayed it to JICA Headquarters by using JICA-net (satellite system). The distance between Okinawa and Tokyo is as much as 2000km. The participants could not believe the distance because through the screen it seemed as if Mr. Takamine was sitting just in front of us. It was a first experience for seven participants to use JICA-net, so they looked very much interested in the system.
Mr. Takamine used to work for UN ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific) as Project Expert on Disability and he is familiar with the situation of persons with disabilities in Asia and Pacific regions.
He started his lecture with the information on globalization of the disability movement. It covered from UN Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons in 1975 to UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, of which draft text was adopted at the eight session of the Ad Hoc Committee from 14 to 25 August 2006. Then he explained us about relation between poverty and disability by using the statistics. According to it, 70 to 80% of persons with disabilities living in rural area are poor and facing many difficulties. In order to emerge from poverty, it is essential to set up income generating programs and he lectured on SHO (self-help organizations), SHG (Self-help groups) and a success case of SHG in India.
Participants from Latin America were exited to know that the Latin America Decade started from this year.
Lecture material : History of the Global Disability Movement [ PDF (187KB) ]
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1023am.html
Posted by jicafriends at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 20, 2006 Workshop : Advocacy
October 20, 2006
Workshop : Advocacy
Facilitated by Ms. Chihiro Kawamura, Associated Professor of Niigata Seiryo University and Ms. Makiko Horiuchi, Chief Coordinator of Center for Independent Living HANDS Setagaya.
The theme of today's program was 'Advocacy' and the purpose was to understand the basic meanings of 'discrimination' and 'human rights.'
In the morning, both Ms. Kawamura and Ms. Horiuchi presented their personal histories including their own experiences of being discriminated because of their disabilities. Ms. Horiuchi showed a video about her daily life which is carried out with help of personal assistants. The participants' attention was drawn to persona assistants. By seeing how useful and helpful the personal assistants can be for the persons with disabilities to lead an independent life, from the video the participants could learn the importance of personal assistants.
The afternoon started with participants' telling their own experiences of being discriminated. Each of them presented different scenes of discriminations like being refused to get on a bus, being stared at and laughed at by other people because of disability and so on. With patience and courage, they have all got out of their crisis.
Japanese participants including a committee member Ms. Kashiwagi and Ms. Masako Okuhira manger of international training section of JSRPD made their comments by mentioning their experiences of being discriminated and how they have overcomed.
Using the time allocated for reflection of the training, we further discussed about causes or background of discrimination they have experienced. People's attitudes, lack of adequate communication, fear of person without disabilities to compete with persons with disabilities, lack of accessibility in infrastructure, lack of information, lack of education etc were listed. Unfortunately the time was running out and the issue of 'discrimination' and 'rights' could not be fully discussed, but the course participants could understand what 'discrimination' is from today's session.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1020.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 18 & 19, 2006 : Workshop : Leadership Skills Ⅱ(Theme : teamwork / network building)
October 18 & 19, 2006
Workshop : Leadership Skills Ⅱ(Theme : teamwork / network building)
by Mr. Yoshinori Ikezumi, Regional Coordinator of International People's Health Council South East / Pacific and North East Asia
We, again, had an exciting workshop presented by Mr. Ikezumi on 18th & 19th.
October 18
Following the word of Mr. Ikezumi "Most effective way to learn how tofacilitate is, to facilitate", participants formed a pair and each had an opportunity to facilitate the topic of their interests. Ms. Horiuchi, planning committee member, also participated. The participants came up with unique methods to facilitate. For example, game of drawing pictures, watching wheelchair sports video, doing role-play and so on. The other participants never thought these could be facilitation means before.
We learned there are as many ways of facilitating as there are the number of facilitators.
On 19, we finalized what was the facilitating.
Mr. Ikezumi explained to trainees principles behind "facilitator" which he came up with from his rich experiences. He asked participants to add their own principles of facilitator based on their own rich experiences.
Through 4 days session with Mr. Ikezumi, all participants learned a lot about facilitation, also they could explored themselves, and became able to express themselves more open.
They were impressed from this eye-opening workshop and also with his dynamic personalities.
Posted by jicafriends at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 17, 2006 Current situation of Persons with Disabilities Go back to Global Navigation
October 17, 2006
Current situation of Persons with Disabilities
In the morning, we visited National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry. to learn about rehabilitation of persons with psychiatric disabilities in Japan. Mr. Nobuo ANZAI, M.D., Director of Department of rehabilitation of the Hospital gave us a lecture about the center and affiliated Musashi Hospital and also aboout the current state of persons with psychiatric disabilities. After the lecture we went around to see inside the hospital to learn about some of its services.
Dr. Anzai Lecture on psychiatric disabilities
PM : Exchange of opinions with persons with psychiatric disabilities
In the afternoon, we met with the members of Club House 'Habataki' and the users of Community Living Support Center for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities 'Asayake'. We had an honorouble presence of the Mayor of Kodaira City and he explained us about the responsibility and roles of local government in supporting persons with disabilities. On behalf of the course participants, the participant from Colombia greeted to all those who are present.
Mayor of kodaira city Greeting by Colombianparti
Mr. Ueno, chairperson of Planning Committee, accompanied us all day. This meeting was such a great opportunity to listen to personal experiences of persons with psychiatric disabiilities directly from them. Members of Habataki and users of Asayake asked some questions to the course participants and so we could mutually exchange opinions. Before closing today's program, the participant from Laos expressed our appreciation for holding such a fruitful metting today.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1017.html
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TRAINING REPORT : October 16, 2006 : Lecture at Japan Braille Library: Current Situation of Persons with Visual Impairments in Japan
October 16, 2006
Lecture at Japan Braille Library: Current Situation of Persons with Visual Impairments in Japan
by Mr. Yamaguchi Kazuhiko, Executive Director of International Association for the Visual Impaired, a member of Planning Committee
In the morning we visited Japan Braill Library to have Mr. Yamaguchi's lecture on the current situation of persons with vsual impairments in Japan and he gave us a general idea of education, rehabilitation, employment, home helper system, pension scheme, reduction of public transportation fees, Braille library, Braille publishers, subsidies for Braille books, information accessibility and ICT for persons with visual impairments.
Mr. Yamaguchi emphasized that the number of eldery people who became visual impairments has increased. When you are young, it is easy for you to learn PC or Braille, however it is hard for eldery people to master.
How we can secure information for them is one of big issues now.
Seven participants also learned about assistive devices for persons with visual impairments.
In the afternoon we observed the five-storied library. It was established in 1940 by Mr. Kazuo Honma, who contributed to improve the life of visual impairments and was called "Father of persons with visual impairments." in Japan.
Seven participants earnestly looked round the work place, recording room, stock room, reading room, and other facilities in the library.
We are all impressed by the fact that operation of the library was supported by 528 volunteers, who are screened carefully in order to provide qualified services. Participants were amazed by the Japanese voluntary spirit.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1016.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 13, 2006 : Workshop : Peer Counseling
October 13, 2006
Workshop : Peer Counseling
by Ms. Keiko Higuchi, President of Studio IL Bunkyo
In the morning, Ms. Higuchi talked on her personal history. All participants understood how she overcame her difficulties in her life and came across Independent movement and peer counseling.
Then she explained about Peer counseling of persons with disabilities and she expressed how important it is.
* Peer Counseling
Peer counseling is mutual help among people who share the same or similar experiences, and there are various approaches including supplying information and knowledge regarding disabilities, listening to personal or emotional issues, and giving advice (in this case, protection of rights of persons with disabilities is also referred to). Our peer counseling aims to encourage discussion as to what kind of emotions clients have regarding the situations they are in; their needs, goals, etc., with the final aim where they can confidently make decisions and rational choices. There are two purposes of peer counseling: (1) setting a goal, and (2) creation of a powerful and positive self-image. The peer counselor has to always pay attention to the client during the session. This means carefully listening to the client, aiming to understand what situation the client is in and who they want to be in the future. This helps to find how the client can overcome self-doubt and passivity by using their good qualities or abilities. The peer counselor has to be focused so that the client can have a sense of security, feel the counselor is paying attention and cooperating with him or her. The fundamental idea of implementing peer counseling is the following: "Every person has abundant creativity, wisdom, joy, love, and a spirit of solidarity."
In the afternoon, seven participants and Ms. Higuchi made four pairs to conduct sessions. One took a role of peer counselor and the other act as a client.
After some time, they change roles and every one experienced both a counselor and client.
The counselor must not interfere while the client is talking, just listens to him/her carefully.
Today's topic was 'hardships you experinced because of disabilities.'
It seemed that the participants could express and speak about their experiences in comfortable atmosphere.
And they were very impressed by knowing a new skill and some of them even mentioned that they would like to try it in their countries.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1013.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 12, 2006 : Lecture : Philosophy of Independent Living Movement and Independent Living Center, Lecture : History of Personal Assistance System in Japan Go back to Global Navigation
October 12 AM, 2006
Lecture : Philosophy of Independent Living Movement and Independent Living Center
by Mr. Shoji Nakanishi, President of Japan Council on Independent Living Centers
It was the day of meeting two great leaders with disabilities in Japan.
In the morning, Mr. Shoji Nakanishi, President of Japan Council on Independent Living Centers, explained about the philosophy of IL Movement and services of IL centers including IL skills program, peer counceling and personal assistant. Many participants came to be interested in PA service which is an essential service for people with severe disabilities.
October 12 PM, 2006
Lecture : History of Personal Assistance System in Japan
by Mr. Teruhisa Yokoyama, President of IL Center, HANDS Setagaya
In the afternoon, another great leader, Mr. Teruhisa Yokoyama shared his personal history with the JICA participants. He brought his wife with him. They both have same disabilities, cerebral palsy, and use wheelchairs and personal assistants to live in their community. Mr. Yokoyama has been fighting for human rights for people with disabilioties since 60's. All the participants were very impressed with his lecture.
It seemed they got empowered by the lectures of two great leaders.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1012.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 11, 2006 : Visit : "Tamashiro-no Sato" Living and Work Institution for the deaf with multiple Disabilities, Lecture : "Current Situation of Person with Hearing Impairments in Japan"
October 11, 2006
Visit : "Tamashiro-no Sato" Living and Work Institution for the deaf with multiple Disabilities
Lecture : "Current Situation of Person with Hearing Impairments in Japan"
by Mr. Katsuhiko HANADA, Head of institution and board member, Tamashiro - no - Sato
"Tamashiro - no - Sato" is located on the outskirts of Tokyo, so we left JICA Tokyo at 8:00 in the morning by bus.
Mr. Hanada, head of the institute is deaf and gave us a lecture in sign language.
He can also communicate vocally with us since he was trained to read lips when he was a student.
The children with multiple disabilities were ignored and excluded from normal education. till the Tokyo Metropolitan Government established classes for children with multiple disabilities in schools for the deaf in 1966.
Seven participants learned about hardships of the deaf children and the deaf children with multiple disabilities and how and why they built this institute.
Mr. Hanada emphasized that acceptance is the most important key to communicate with users."
In the afternoon we observed their facility such as bathroom, user's room, short - stay room and work place and we also had a chance to watch their activities.
Participants from Sri Lanka, Vanuatu and Laos were very surprised to see how users produced the plant pots by using recycling paper.
Users taught us how to use (speak) Japanese sign language and we enjoyed the conversation with them.
Though the institute is far and we needed a long drive, it was a meaningful visit for all of us.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1011.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 10, 2006 : Lecture and Visit : on the Current Situation of persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Japan at "Kinuta Kobo"
October 10, 2006
Lecture and Visit : on the Current Situation of persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Japan at "Kinuta Kobo"
- Setagaya Ward Sheltered Workshop for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
'Kinuta Kobo' is a Setagaya ward sheltered workshop where persons with intellectual disabilities commute and work. In the morning, Mr. Masayoshi Nakano, director of 'Kinuta Kobo' gave a lecture on various issues related to persons with intellectual disabilities such as the definition of intellectual disabilities and what it means "to work". Ms. Chihiro Kawamura, committee member, accompanied us and gave a opening remark.
In the afternoon, we split into three groups and participated in actual work conducted at 'Kinuta Kobo'. One of the jobs was to enclose different kinds of commercial documents in envelopes, which was consigned from a private company. The other was to package cutleries into plastic bags, which was consigned from a restaurant. While working, we had an opportunity exchange opinions with the users of 'Kinuta Kobo'.
PM : Visit : "Sukippu" Setagaya Ward Employment Support Center for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
After watching the video about the activities at Sukippu, we went on a tour to observe actual work activities at Sukippu.
Both Kinuta Kobo and Sukippu are run by Inclusion Tokyo, which is an organization by parents of persons with intellectual disabilities. Compared to Kinuta Kobo, the users at Sukippu are persons with mild disabilities and their work are more profit oriented.
With adecuate support, persons with intellectual disabilities are able to engage in work and earn their living to lead an independent living.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1010.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:10 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 8, 2006 : Visit : Showa Memorial Park
October 8, 2006
Visit : Showa Memorial Park
- Check the barrier - free facilities of a public place and exchange opinions with Japanese people with disabilities
It was a beautiful Sunday and blue sky welcomed us.
Fifty six persons including twenty eight persons with physical, visual and hearing disabilities gathered and had a nice time together.
Showa memorial park was established as park of a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa's reign, and it now comprises about 138 hectares of completed area.
It was designed accessible to persons with disabilities and eldery people and provides the following services.
1.. Those visitors who have been issued with disability cards or medical cards, may park and enter the park free of charge.
2.. There are 36 wheelchairs available. Visitors wishing to use one should please feel free to ask at the entrance. They are, of course, free of charge.
3.. There are 32 toilets for the disabled located near to the main facilities in the park.
We devided into five cross disability groups and we introduced ourselves and exchanged ideas related to the disability issues. Then guide helpers at the park showed us around the park and explained the barrier-free facilities.
By the time we finished the program, all participants became friends and we could establish a network among us.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1008.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 7, 2006 : Presentation : Personal Report
October 7, 2006
Presentation : Personal Report
Seven participants presented their personal histories all day long.
Nearly thirty people, including planning committee members, JICA staff, other guests from different organizations and five Duskin Leadership trainees gathered at Briefing Room at JICA Tokyo. Duskin trainees are from Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Nepal and Taiwan. So representatives from 13 countries assembled in one room and exchanged information and ideas. It was a great opportunity for all of us and we were very much empowered with each other.
Bonds of seven participants became stronger through this sharing experiences.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1007.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 6, 2006 AM : Lecture on "Present State and issues concerning Barrier-Free Transportation in Japan as of 2006"
October 6, 2006 AM :
Lecture on "Present State and issues concerning Barrier-Free Transportation in Japan as of 2006"
by Mr. Yoshiaki IMAFUKU, Transportation Affairs Officer, DPI - Japan
Mr. Imafuku is a board member of Japan National Assembly of Disabled People's International (DPI - Japan) and he himself uses an electric wheelchair.
Today he gave a lecture on the current situation of transportation accessibility and the importance of public transportation accessibility for promotion of social participation of persons with disabilities. As he explained using a lot of pictures and short videos, it was really easy to understand. An assistant explained the photos to a participant with visual impairment.
He concluded his session by giving the participants his strong and sincere message which he learned from his 25 years of experiences in the field of transportation accessibility. Some people may say that we can carry the person with disabilities where there is a barrier. It should be, however, commonly recognized that wherever small level differences or gaps exist, a portable ramp is very useful tool to solve the problem. The portable ramp is comparatively low-price, is portable and can easily be handmade. It is absolutely not acceptable to try to overcome barrier problems by "carrying wheelchair users." It is essential to remove the barrier so that persons with disabilities can move freely by themselves.
Lecture material : http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/material/lecture/1006/01.html
PM : Accessibility Check in Tokyo Metropolitan City
In the afternoon we all went on a half day tour to experience the transportation accessibility in Tokyo Metropolitan City.
We will never forget this experience. As a typoon was approaching to Japan, it was such a windy and stormy day. Even though we all put on a yellow rain jacket, we were all soaked wet when we get back to JICA Tokyo. Mr. Imafuku empowered us that we could go out even in a rainy day to realize our goals and we will be able to make our dreams come true even in rainy days of our life.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1006.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 4 & 5, 2006 : Workshop : Leadership Skills (Theme : self - development)
October 4 & 5, 2006 :
Workshop : Leadership Skills (Theme : self - development)
by Mr. Yoshinori Ikezumi, Regional Coordinator of International People's Health Council South East / Pacific and North East Asia
An exciting two days' workshop on Leadership Skills by Mr. Yoshinori Ikezumi was held on Wednesday and Thursday.
The formar participants may recall your experiences in his workshop.
Though the essential part of the workshop is same every year, the outcome is widely different each year. This year we spent more time for discussion and each participant had to think on many topics, such as the difference between "to control" and "to facilitate."
Ms. Makiko Horiuchi, one of the planning committee members participated positevely in the workshops. She expressed her opinions and share her own experiences.
We would like to leave the details of the workshop contents secret for the future participants to discover.
The latter part of two days' workshop with the theme of teakwork/network building will be held on 18 and 19 of this month.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1004and5.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 3, 2006 PM : Lecture "Social Policy for People with Disabilities in Japan"
October 3, 2006 PM :
Lecture "Social Policy for People with Disabilities in Japan"
by Mr. Uemura Ph.D., Professor of Graduate College of Social Service Management, Japan College of Social Work
Mr. Uemura is a professor at Japan College of Social Work and also member of Planning Committee of this training course. He gave a lecture on the overview of Japanese social policies for persons with disabilities.
Lecture Material : http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/material/lecture/1003b/01.html
We learnt about a wide range of social services in such fields as education, employment, medical services, laws, social security etc. The participants asked many questions such as "Unemployed persons with disabilities can also receive disability pension? (Vanuatuan participant)", "What percentage of salary is obliged to pay for social security? Is the employment rate stipulated in the law compulsory? (Colombian participant)" "What kind of support is given to the volunteer activities (Sri Lankan participant)" etc.
Combined with the morning session by Mr. Onoue from DPI-Japan, we could gain a basic knowledge on the situation of persons with disabilities in Japan and the social policies for persons with disabilities in Japan.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1003pm.html
Posted by jicafriends at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 3, 2006 AM : Lecture "Measures on Disabilities in Japan : Perspectives of Persons with Disabilities"
October 3, 2006 AM :
Lecture "Measures on Disabilities in Japan : Perspectives of Persons with Disabilities"
by Mr. Onoue, Secretary General of DPI-Japan
The very first lecture conveyed such strong and important messages, being given by Mr. Onoue, Secretary General of DPI-Japan. Mr. Onoue talked about historical development of Japanese policies from the perspectives of persons with disabilities, describing it with his own experiences of challenges against the existing situations and systems and also with other actual cases.
What's equality? The importance of making the disability issues not only of the persons with disabilities but of the whole. There were a lot of themes in his lecture to think over.
He concluded his session by saying "do not unnecessarily repeat the same mistakes of Japan, lean from our errors, promote normalization and create universal designed society from now!” We had an excellent start of the 2006 training course!
Lecture Material : http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/material/lecture/1003a/01.html
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1003pm.html
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TRAINING REPORT : October 2, 2006 : Opening Ceremony and Program Orientation
October 2, 2006 :
Opening Ceremony and Program Orientation
oday, the Opening Ceremony was held in JICA Tokyo to launch the JICA group training course on "Leadership Development of Persons with Disabilities."
The 7 course participants received the welcome speech from Mr. Nishiyama, Group Director of Administration Group, JICA and also from Mr. Kataishi, Secretary General of JSRPD.
It was followed by Program Orientation where Mr. Ueno, chairperson of Planning Committee gave a power point presentation on the overview of the course. Also the resource book and some additional information were provided.
Not only the JICA, JICE and JSRPD staff but also so Mr. Ueno (chairperson, Planning Committee), Prof. Kawamura (Committee Member), Ms. Horiuchi (Committee Member) and Ms. Rossitto (Proposal Writing Facilitator) were present. All the people who were present there introduced themselves including some personal information and we got to know each other a little bit more.
All of us are looking forward to collaborating together and learning a lot from each other during the coming 7 weeks.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1002.html
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November 09, 2006
Baby 'mercy killing' debate call
BBC NEWS
Baby 'mercy killing' debate call
Doctors are calling for a debate over proposals for the "mercy killing" of severely disabled babies.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists wants a discussion over whether "deliberate intervention" to cause death should be legalised.
Withdrawing treatment is already permitted in some cases.
The college said it was not necessarily in favour of the move, but felt it should be debated. However, some are angry it has even been suggested.
It changes the nature of medicine... into some kind of social engineering Professor John Wyatt, of University College Hospital London Simone Aspis, of the British Council of Disabled People, said: "We really do not know how long babies and young people will live for.
"We should not deny people the opportunity to live for as long as they are able to."
And Matthew O'Gorman, a spokesman for the Life charity, said it was "extremely worrying".
"There is a huge difference between withdrawing invasive treatment that has become futile, and taking action to intentionally end a child's life because treatment is considered to be too expensive or time-consuming."
The college made its comments in a submission to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, which is carrying out an inquiry into the viability of life.
Nuffield will publish its report on critical care decisions in foetal and neonatal medicine next week.
A working party has been consulting on the issue on the back of improvements in medical technology which means very premature and ill babies can survive, although some with severe disabilities.
'Difficult decisions'
The college said: "We would like the working party to think more radically about non-resuscitation, withdrawal of treatment decisions... and active euthanasia, as they are ways of widening the management options available to the sickest of newborns."
Maggie Blott, a member of the college, said these were "very difficult decisions" that would be taken over days, weeks and even months in consultation with the parents.
She added it was a debate that needed to happen.
Doctors have mixed views over the suggestions.
John Wyatt, professor of neonatal paediatrics at University College Hospital London, said: "It changes the nature of medicine... into some kind of social engineering."
But John Harris, professor of bioethics at the University of Manchester, said it was not a question of whether or not these decisions were taken - as they already were through withdrawing treatment - but how to take them in the most humane way.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6120126.stm
Published: 2006/11/06 09:39:28 GMT
Aqeel
Posted by jicafriends at 01:04 PM | Comments (0)
Man kills wife for hearing problem
A drunken man in a Jharkhand (India) village allegedly killed his wife with a spade because he was irritated with her hearing disability, police here said.
The incident occurred Wednesday in Gore village, about 45 km from Ranchi, when Mahadev Oraon came home in an inebriated condition. He had some quarrel with his wife Cheria because she was partially deaf and hit her with a spade on the head, killing her on the spot.
Their four children - aged between two and eight - who were sleeping in another room woke up to find their mother in a pool of blood. Villagers gathered at the spot hearing the screams of the children.
The couple had frequent spats because of her disability. Mahadev, who is absconding, had to speak loudly to his wife and that irritated him, said his brother.
http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20061102/27237.htm
Aqeel
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November 08, 2006
Hanoi: Free bus service for 30,000 disabled
Transportation is very important, especially indispensable for persons with disabilites.
We found the following information from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
The Hanoi People’s Committee has decided to offer free bus cards to the disabled in Hanoi.
This programme will be carried out on a trial basis for one year, starting in November 2006.
Accordingly, all disabled who are able to use public transportation and want to use bus service will be granted the bus card, which will allow them to travel around the city free of charge.
The disabled can go to ward or commune People’s Committees or Patronage Associations for the Disabled and Orphans to register and receive the bus card.
Hanoi currently has around 22,800 disabled people, not including war invalids.
(Source: VNE)
http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/life/031106/life_b.htm
Posted by jicafriends at 04:05 PM | Comments (0)
November 06, 2006
Inclusive Education
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
MPSP to assess its scheme
Aim of inclusive education is to enrol children with special needs in regular schools Mihika Basu
Pune, November 1: In an attempt to assess children enrolled under the “inclusive education for Children With Special Needs” programme, the Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP) will now appoint 2,361 teachers throughout the state.
Inclusive education for Children With Special Needs or CWSN, an initiative under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, is an attempt to identify children with disabilities and ensure their rights of education to make them socially independent. “There are separate institutes or organisations catering to the needs of the disabled. But the inclusive programme is an attempt whereby such kids can study in regular classes,” said Chairman of the State Board of Education Vasant Kalpande.
The primary aim is to make them a part of the mainstream instead of creating separate institutes. It includes children suffering from visual, learning, hearing or multiple disabilities, autism and mental retardation. The programme presently targets six to 18-year-olds and is upto standard VIII though the MPSP plans to take it to standard X. “We wanted to devise a programme to enable their inclusion in society and remove the stigma that is attached with such students,” said programme coordinator Ajay N Kakade.
The idea mooted by the MPSP in 2002 first identified children with special needs with the help of primary teachers via a screening checklist. The extensive data collection and screening process finally selected 1,817,40 (of the 10,33,563.children initially identified) who were enrolled with various schools throughout Maharashtra in 2005. In Mumbai alone, there are more than 35,000 children who have been enrolled with various schools of the BMC.
“Now that the children have attended regular classes for a year, we feel it is the right time to assess their progress and those of the schools,” said Kakade. The individual case studies of all students selected in the first phase have been submitted to the district officials which will act as a reference point for the teachers at the time of scrutiny
“In inclusive education, the process of identification is crucial because there are various disabilities with various symptoms and a large number remain undetected due to the lack of professionals in the field of disability,” emphasised Kakade. Accordingly, the MPSP appointed experts in rehabilitation and medical fields and organised orientation workshops at state, district, block and cluster levels.
Further screening and assessments were done by medical doctors and the entire process was supervised by civil surgeons and subject experts from district hospitals which finalised the currently-enrolled students. The whole process was monitored by 127 district coordinators.
Mainstream teachers were also trained during June 2005 for proper implementation of the scheme. A 3-month pre-integration course for some of the selected disabled children was also conducted prior to their enrollment.
The “technical” teachers to be recruited this year will now evaluate each child and consequently the effectiveness of the programme. Only teachers with diplomas in special education, mental retardation, visual and hearing impaired, autism, vocational training and employment and early child care special education will be eligible.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=207692
Posted by jicafriends at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)