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December 27, 2006
Wish You A Happy New Year!
Dear jicafriends
The year 2006 will ends in five days.
Thank you very much for your support and contribution of this year.
Reflecting on the year 2006, we saw the great improvement in the accessibility of our website.
We have welcomed 14 new members of jicafriends this year; 7 from Vocational Rehabilitation Course and 7 from Leadership Development Course of Persons with Disabilities. Belize and Vanuatu sent their first participants.
We hope to strengthen the jicafriends network next year and send you the best wishes for 2007.
jicafreinds
Posted by jicafriends at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2006
No Trained Teacher for Disabled in Government Schools
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Times of India, Saturday, December 23, 2006
New Delhi : Even as the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) had included inclusive education as a priority under the Xth Five Year Plan, Delhi government schools have failed to accommodate kids with special needs, stated a survey by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) in collaboration with MHRD.
The state education department has claimed that there are a number of plans for such children and will take off soon. RCI is a statutory body of ministry of social justice and empowerment.
"As per the recent survey, out of 1,100 government schools in Delhi, only 800 admit kids with special needs. Thouth there are around 3,000 such kids studying in government schools, not a single school has a trained teacher or a resource centre for these kidss," said G B Singh, board member, RCI.
Talking about the apathy of state government towards kids with learning disabilities, Singh added : "The state government did not even send a single teachers to our training camps. Delhi should follow footsteps of other states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, who, according to the survey, have followed the RCI model on disabilities. The model states that each school should have as least one special educator and one resource centre."
Teaching kids with special needs without the aid of a special educator is also a punishable ffence, states RCI. "Under Clause 13 of the RCI Act, if you are teaching a child with disability without having a special educator in the school, it's a punishable offence for the head of school,"
said J P Singh, member secretary, RCI.
The state education department, however, admitted that the government schools lack facilities for those special kids but claimed that plans are aplenty for accommodating them in large numbers. "We do not have sizable number of children with disabilities in our school and we need to do much more," said Rina Ray, principal secretary, education, Delhi, Howeverm she added, we are planning to have atleast one special educator in each school. Also, atleast two schools in each district should be made disabled friendly where all teachers should be trained to handle such kids.
The government is also planning to integrate kids with severe disabilities into mainstream education. "Under SSA, we are planning to visit individual household and get kids with learning disabilities into mainstream. Special educators will also visit them and train them", claimed
Ray.
*Each country faces the same problem as India, lack of trained teachers for special education. In order to acheive inclusive education, specially trained teachers who can correspond to the needs of students with different abilities are essential. Please let us know the situation in your country.
Posted by jicafriends at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 17, 2006 : Farewell Party and Handover of Wheelchairs
November 17, 2006
Farewell Party and Handover of Wheelchairs
The closing ceremony was followed by a farewell party. Teachers from Yamano College of Aesthetic, Mr. Yoshihiko NONAKA from JEED, staff of Saito-kobo, and many other people who were involved in the training came to see off the participants.
During the party, a ceremony was held to hand over six wheelchairs to the participants. Friendly Life Community had kindly collected used wheelchairs and students of Kanagawa Institute of Technology repaired and conditioned them. Mr. Shotaro YAMAGUCHI from Friendly Life Community came to hand over the wheelchairs today.
In many developing countries, majority of people cannot afford a wheelchair and they are forced to stay in a house, being deprived of the freedom of mobility. The participants will bring back a wheelchair not for their own use but for other people in need of wheelchair. These wheelchairs given today will go over the oceans and will change the life of persons with disabilities in other country.
Thank you very much to Friendly Life Community, Kanagawa Institute of Technology and all the donors of these six wheelchairs. To express their gratitude, the participants gave them handmade cards with their photos and with their thank-you messages.
Thanks to all the people involved in the program, we could finish the training course. Seven participants, we wish you good luck !
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader111703.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 17, 2006 : Closing Ceremony
November 17, 2006
Closing Ceremony
Congratulations! Eight weeks training in Japan has completed.
Closing ceremony took place this afternoon in JICA Tokyo. Mr. Yukio ISHIDA, Deputy Director General of JICA Tokyo, JICA, gave closing words. Mr. Shuzo KATAISHI made a speech and congratulated the participants for completion of the training in Japan.
Although the training phase in Japan is over, the participants are expected to carry out their action plans after returning to their home countries. They are requested to submit the final report within six months and inform the progress of the plan to JICA. The participants will receive a certificate upon submission of the progress report. The certificate was shown to them during the closing ceremony.
On behalf of the group, the participant from Colombia expressed his gratitude for the training in Japan and his aspiration for the future.
Speech by the Colombian participant
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader111701.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 15, 2006 : Action Plan Presentation
November 15, 2006
Action Plan Presentation
Today seven participants presented their Action Plan at JICA Tokyo, and described knowledge acquired in Japan and what they plan to do as a leader of persons with disabilities after returning home. Each participant made a 40 minutes presentation (5 min preparation / 20 min presentation / 15 min question and answer).
Please click the title to read the full text of Action Plan.
1. Participant from Vanuatu
Title :
A Care Help for PWDs – Skill Development for Unemployed Women with Physical and Blind Disabilities
Summary :
Persons with disabilities have different abilities but in Vanuatu the society perceives PWDs as useless and powerless beings. Most of women with disabilities are unemployed and therefore live dependently on their families, helping out in domestic chore. Action Plan aims to promote independent living and to increase job opportunities for women with disabilities in Vanuatu. The plan consists of 3 vocational training courses in sawing, handcrafts and massage and it is targeted for 6 unemployed women with disabilities (4 with physical disabilities and 2 with visual impairments) to become trainers. Vanuatu Society for Disabled People will implement the plan and the project span is from January to March 2007.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
* Individual Training: NPO Yamaboshi-Kurasawa (community based sheltered workshop for people with intellectual disabilities) and WAKI Bone Setting and Massage Clinic
* Knowledge on disabilities, leadership, management, sheltered workshops run by people with disabilities and their marketing strategies, cooperation with people without disabilities
2. Participant from Laos
Title :
Friendly Service Center for PWDs
Summary :
Due to lack of accessibility in transportation and in school buildings and facilities, many persons with disabilities in Laos are prevented from going to school and also from participating in activities in society including employment.
Targeting for persons with orthopedic disabilities of age between 16 and 28 in Vientiane, Action Plan promotes education of persons with disabilities by offering transportation service to and from school provided by volunteers of university students. It also plans to teach marketable handcrafts so that persons with orthopedic disabilities can have a job in a community and generate their income. Action Plan will be implemented in cooperation with International NGOs, Laos National University, community people, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, JICA, IT workshop in Vientiane, and National Rehabilitation Center. The duration of the plan is from December 2006 to February 2008.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
Management, volunteer, personal assistant, transportation accessibility for PWDs, workshop management skills, proposal writing, laws concerning PWDs, Japanese culture, home visit, history of atomic bomb at Hiroshima
3. Participant from Costa Rica
Title :
Personal Assistant System: A Clue to be Independent
Summary :
In Costa Rica, majority of PWDs live dependently. Being independent means doing everything by him/herself without any help. Action Plan is to promote independent living of PWDs by introducing the idea of personal assistance (PA). The target population are persons with orthopedic disabilities of age between 20 and 40 who live in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. PR of PA and IL concept will be carried out through mass media. A seminar will be held to demonstrate the advantage of PA. 40 PWDs are invited to the seminar and 20 volunteers for PA will then be recruited mainly from universities. This plan will be implemented by CAS (Alternative Capacities in Soridarity) from December 2006 till January 2009.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
* PWDs who have a PA have a better relationship with their families (Home Visit to a person with cerebral palsy),
* Independent Living of persons with severe disabilities. Marriage and women with disabilities (Individual training at ILC Bunkyo)
* The history of PA services
* PWDs in Japan had fought for PA system working as a team
4. Participant from Colombia
Title :
Wheelchair Tennis in Colombia– Sustainable Evolution – Instrument of Social and Sport Development for People with Disabilities
Summary :
Along with the 12 Years Plan of the Colombian Paralympic Committee (CPC), Action Plan has 4 goals; to realize an international wheelchair tennis tournament, to build a network consisting of 3 volunteers in each of targeted 10 cities, to improve the organization by making self-sustainable programs, and to promote business around wheelchair tennis. The program of international wheelchair tournament is from December 2006 to August 2007. It will be implemented by CPC.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
* Financial organization of Paralympics system and how to attract sponsors (Individual Training : Japan Sports Association for the Disable and Tokyo Metropolitan Sports Center for the Disable)
* Fundraising – How to write and present ａ project proposal (Proposal Writing by Ms. Rossitto)
* Organizing a volunteer networks (Many examples in visits and lectures. .Sharing information with participant from Belize on his individual training about volunteer network by Mr. Kasumi)
* Accessibility (Transportation Accessibility by Mr. Imafuku)
* Leadership Skills (Many lectures or visits – meeting with Japanese leaders with disabilities. JICA net conference with a former participant)
* Facilitation (Leadership Skill by Mr. Ikezumi)
* Japanese Culture (Punctuality and organization / Humbleness. / Commitment with job. / Respect and care for other's needs.)
5. Participant from China
Title :
Leadership Training and Employing for the Vision Impairment Persons of Provincial Disabled Persons’Federation in China
Summary :
In China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), employment of persons with vision and hearing impairments is lagged behind in comparison with that of persons with physical disabilities. 19 out of 32 provincial offices of CDPF have no staff with vision impairments. Action Plan is to conduct 10 days leadership training to 19 persons with vision impairments. Those who completed the course will be recommended to the provincial offices of CDPF as leaders with disabilities. The duration is from January 2007 till December 2008.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
Rehabilitation centers,. sheltered workshops, accessibilities, education, employment, equal and full participation in social life, laws concerning PWDs, PA system and the volunteer system
6. Participant from Sri Lanka
Title :
Lochana : An Income Generating Project for Unemployed Vision Impaired Women
Summary :
In Sri Lanka, in spite of Act 28 for the Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 1996, the employment rate stipulated in the law is not met. 95% of women with vision impairments are unemployed due to lack of educational and professional qualifications and also employers' attitudes etc. They are isolated from society, being dependent on their families. Towards the 'Society for All', Action Plan aims to promote employment of persons with vision impairments. It plans to establish a workshop where 5 unemployed women with vision impairments with low educational qualification will recycle papers, make products (boxes for wedding ceremonies and envelopes for company use) according to received orders and sell them. Sri Lanka Council for the Blind is the implementing organization. It mentions a potential cooperation with JOCV to conduct this plan. The duration is from January till December 2007.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
Management and roles of sheltered workshops (Azami joint workshop, Kinuta Kobo, Sukippu, and Tamashiro-no Sato)
7. Participant from Belize
Title :
More Social Integration for Children of Age between 0 and 8 with Disabilities
Summary :
NGO CARE Belize provides physiotherapy to children with disabilities of age 0 to 8 years through field workers. However the children with disabilities have almost no social interaction and no leisure time. Action Plan targets 10 children with disabilities of age 0 to 8 years in Orange Walk Town. It intends to provide the children with disabilities with opportunities to come out of their home and interact with others. The activities will be organized such as playing, singing, learning, making art works and handcrafts etc. Children will learn new skills, increase self-esteem, develop their personality, participate in society, and enjoy their childhood. To make this realize, a group of 10 volunteers will be organized by university students, junior high school students and parents who will assist the children with disabilities. This plan will be implemented under supervision of CARE Belize and Red Cross Belize. It starts December 2006 and finishes in June 2007.
Useful programs and knowledge acquired in Japan :
volunteer network by Mr. Kasumi , social interaction through art work in Social Welfare Juridical Person Personal Assistance 'Tomo', ideal leader with disabilities from the meeting with Mr. Yokoyama.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1115.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2006
Disabled get mobility pledge
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Thursday December 21, 2006
BY ELIZABETH LOOI
THE Government will come up with a long-term plan to provide disabled - friendly public transportation.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, who held an hour’s meeting with representatives from seven organisations of the disabled community, said she would speak to the Transport Ministry and the main public bus concessionaire Rapid KL.
“I am not saying that there will be visible results next year, but we must have a plan,” she said.
“Disabled people must not be forgotten in the transport master plan that the ministry is drawing up now.”
Dr Ng said she had advised the representatives to write to the relevant ministries, including the Cooperatives and Entrepreneurial Development Ministry, which is in charge of commercial vehicles licensing.
She said from the meeting, she learned that the organisations had not been talking to the right people, especially policy makers.
“I understand their frustration but the Government is trying to help them, too,” she said.
Dr Ng said she was confident the Budget next year would include more provisions for the disabled.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, who was present at the meeting, said he would forward the proposals and ideas from the representatives to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.
“We will look into their plight and prepare a long-term solution for them,” he said.
Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan president V. Murugeswaran said the meeting, which was initiated by Dr Ng, was a fruitful discussion.
“We will meet among ourselves to discuss our next course of action but we are grateful that our perseverance has finally paid off,” he said.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/21/parliament/16377622&sec=parliament
Posted by jicafriends at 05:57 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2006
Congratulations!
Dear Friends:
Congratulations
United Nation General Assembly has adopted the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities in a vote by consensus and had asked 192 member states to quickly ratify the convention, which covers rights to education, health, work and a raft of other protective measures for people with disabilities. This adoption is the first human right treaty of the 21st century.
Read details in fresh issue of Pakistan Special.
Keep reading Pakistan Special.
MAILING ADDRESS AND FOR ANY FURTHER INQUIRY:
Farhat Abbas, Chief Editor monthly Pakistan Special,
H. No. 465, Street 74, Sector G ・8/1,
Islamabad ・Pakistan.
Posted by jicafriends at 06:07 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2006
TRAINING REPORT : October 30 - November 1, 2006 : Individual Training
Three days individual training was programmed according to each participant's profession and fields of interest. They could widen and deepen the specific knowledge and skills which help them to write their Action Plans. The following table shows the schedule and the purpose of each session.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader10301101.html
Posted by jicafriends at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)
International Day of Disabled Persons in Pakistan (IDDP2006)
Being a ex-trainee of Leadership course I feel proud to contribute my activities in Disability movement
Kindly find the report attached about observance of IDDP 2006
Muhammad Atif Sheikh
President STEP
President DPI-Pakistan
Posted by jicafriends at 04:03 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 16, 2006 : Introduction of Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV)
November 16, 2006
Introduction of Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV)
By Mr. Kazato Saeki, Overseas Affairs Group, Secretariat of Japan, JOCV, JICA
Mr. Saeki came to JICA Tokyo to introduce how to apply to JICA volunteers for participants' organizations.
Seven participants didn't know what JOCV means and they even didn't imagine that they can apply by themselves.
Mr. Sasaki explained details about JICA Volunteers such as types, professions, period of dispatch of volunteers and of cource application procedure by using powerpoint.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/jicainfo/volunteer/02guide/guidetojica.pdf
All participants became interested in JICA Volunteer system and some of them are thinking of applying to the volunteers upon their return.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1116.html
Posted by jicafriends at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 13, 2006 : Presentation skill
November 13, 2006
Presentation skill
by Mr. Hideto KAWAKITA, CEO, International Institute for Human, Organization and the Earth (IIHOE)
Today, we had the lecture about presentation skill by Mr. Kawakita. Ms. Kawamura, committee member, was with us to observe the lecture.
He started the session by explaining his career and rich experience as a consultant for NPO management. Seven participants were amazed by the outstanding number of 600 proposals that he had read.
The participants learned that in order to win donors' understanding and trust, the applicants should;
* think about to whom they are going to make a presentation;
* avoid showing what 'they' want and pushing it, but understand what a 'donor' wants; and
* understand the values that a donor evaluates is and how they make decisions.
Participants came up with an idea of some potential donors to whom they can make presentation of their Action Plan. Then they analyzed what the most important points that each donor evaluates are, which should be kept in mind when making a presentation.
Each participant presented his/her Action Plan using a format prepared by Mr. Kawakita. He observed their presentation and gave each of them effective advices.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1113.html
Posted by jicafriends at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 10, 2006 PM : Lecture : UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
ovember 10, 2006 PM
Lecture : UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Lectures: Ms. Yoriko Suzuki Principal Deputy Director, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division, Foreign Policy Bureau,
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Kim Jeong-ok, Director of Advocacy Center, DPI-Japan
There are over 600 million people with disabilities throughout the world, and many of them live in developing countries. According to the United Nations' statistics, 80% of people with disabilities live the lowest standard of living, because of discrimination in policy, environment, and the negative attitude of society or community. On the other hand, even in so-called developed countries, appropriate consideration is not made toward persons with disabilities, according to the type of disability and characteristics, as well as in all aspects of community life (i.e. acquiring of residence and various services; education; employment; use of facilities, access to structures and transportation; political participation; judicial proceedings, etc.). As a result, there are still many barriers between citizens with disabilities and those without disabilities, and discrimination remains unresolved. (Extract from Mr. Kim's lecture material)
For Above reasons seven participants should know about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, however most of them haven't heard of it before coming to Japan.
Ms. Suzuki from Ministy of Foreign Affairs commented on the Convention from the Japanese government point of view and Mr. Kim from Japanese NGO point of view. Both of them attended the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee as members of delegation of Japan, which was held in New York between 14 and 25 of August. The Convention itself will be adopted in the sixty-first session of the General Assembly.
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc8.htm
Ms. Chihiro Kawamura, committee member who also attended the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee observed the session and we discussed how participants can convince their governments after ratification and how they can change the society.
(Lecture material : Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs [PDF (44KB)] , Mr. Kim Jeong-ok [PDF (104KB)]
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1110pm.html
Posted by jicafriends at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : October 28, 2006 : Unofficial Program: Getting to Know Japanese Culture
October 28, 2006
Unofficial Program: Getting to Know Japanese Culture
Supported by Yamano College of Aesthetics
On a beautiful autumn day, a cultural event volunteered by Yamano College of Aesthetics was held in the Annex Building of JICA Tokyo.
Seven participants and six Duskin Leadership trainees had an opportunity to wear traditional Japanese Kimono and enjoy tea ceremony.
Although the program was going to start at 13:00, at 10:30 fifteen staff from Yamano already arrived at JICA Tokyo and started to prepare. The room was divided into 3 spaces for different purposes i.e. tea ceremony, make-up and hair dressing, and putting on Kimono they set them up so quickly and the first floor of Annex Bldg was immediately changed into Yamano Beauty Salon.
Yamano College of Aesthetics offers three-year Biyo Fukushi (Beauty and Welfare) Course. This course prepares students for examination of both national hairstylist's license and national welfare worker's license. The aim is to train them to meet the needs of the elderly and/or the physically challenged and to help them live a happy life.
http://www.yamano.ac.jp/introduction/intro_e.html
Yamano has developed an original way of dressing people on a wheelchair in Kimono, so wheelchair users can get dressed in Kimono easily without feeling uncomfortable. Wearing beautiful Kimono cheers up people with or without disabilities. All the participants were very excited with this extraordinary experience of Kimono and Japanese tea ceremony. They fully enjoyed the day, getting know a little more about the Japanese culture.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1028.html
Posted by jicafriends at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2006
UN Convention was adopted yesterday !
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as delivered by Mark Malloch Brown, Deputy Secretary-General, in New York, today, 13 December:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10797.doc.htm
Posted by jicafriends at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2006
Information from UN-Convention on the Human Rights of People with Disabilities
Dear All,
Unless something really bad happens, the Convention should be adopted on Wednesday, 13 December, between 10 AM and 12 noon New York time. You might be able to listen to the General Assembly over the phone, by dialing (1-917) 367-9420 (General Assembly floor) or (1-917) 367-9421 (English).
Best,
Edoardo Bellando
UN Department of Public Information
(1 212) 963 8275
http://www.un.org/webcast/index.asp
Posted by jicafriends at 05:21 PM | Comments (0)
Radio station to support handicapped launched in Gaza
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Country :Palestinian Authority
Topic :Radio, Specialized Reporting
11/12/2006
A privately funded radio station aimed at supporting handicapped Palestinians has been established in Gaza.
Sawt Al-Irada, which is staffed by disabled journalists, is supported by the United Nations Relief and Workers Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and broadcasts to the Gaza Strip, Hebron and the southern region of the West Bank.
The station was launched on December 6 during a ceremony celebrating the International Day for Disabled Persons, the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) reported.
Posted by jicafriends at 05:08 PM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2006
Disability at a Glance
A profile of 28 Countries and Areas in Asia and the Pacific
UNESCAP published "Disability at a Grance: a profile of 28 Countries and Areas in Asia and the Pacific." It is a compilation of disability-ralated data and information from the 28 countries and areas: five from the East and North-East Asia (China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Mongolia; Republic of Korea); nine from South-East Asia (Cambodia; Indonesia; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia; the Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Viet Nam); eight from South and South-West Asia (Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; India; Maldives; Nepal; Pakistan; Turkey); one from the North and Central Asia (Kazakhstan); and five from the Pacific (Australia; Cook Islands; Fiji; Kiribati; Solomon Islands).
If you are interested in, please visit http://www.unescap.org/esid/psis/disability/publications/glance/disability%20at%20a%20glance.pdf
Posted by jicafriends at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
December 07, 2006
TRAINING REPORT : November 10, 2006 : Lecture : Importance of Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities By Mr. Eita Yashiro
We visited the Office Builing for Diet Members to have a lecture by Mr. Eita Yashiro, a former member of House of Representatives.
He is the first person with disability who became a National Diet member through "Send Wheelchair to the Diet" campaign in 1977. Since then National Diet Building became accessible for wheelchair users.
In 1999 he was appointed to Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.
Mr. Yashiro started his lecture with brief outline of Japan and moved to his personal history.
He forcused on how he struggled to accept himself being a person with disability.
Then he talked about how he imvolved in the disability movement in Japan and how he expanded the movement into Asia and Pacific regions. Seven participants were so empowered and at the end of the session four participants have decided to be politicians.
Before closing the session we all sang "You're my sunshine"as usual.
(Lecture material : http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/material/lecture/1110a/index.html)
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1110.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 8, 2006 : Local Visit (Day 4)
First program of the day was a lecture on Japan's experience of Atomic Bomb and Hiroshima's Devotion to World Peace given by Mr. Nobuyuki TESHIMA, Director of International Peace Promotion Department, Hiroshima City Office.
The participants were surprised to peaceful approach of Hiroshima Citizens despite such destruction and misery. But, as the participant from Vanuatu commented, because of their peaceful commitment to World Peace, we are in deed able to be here today at this place.
The lecture was held at International Conference Center located within the Peace Memorial Park and afterwards we walked around the park recalling the explanation we just heard now.
The walk in the fresh air made us hungry so we decided to try the most famous dish of Hiroshima, Okonomiyaki. We cooked it on the hot iron plate right in front of us. Okonomiyaki with a lot of mayonnaise and sauce on top was really tasty.
In the afternoon, we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to learn more about the Hiroshima's experience of the atomic bomb in 1945. The last program of the day was to hear direct message from a survivor of Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Blast.
Mr. Ueno, chairperson of Planning Committee had to leave Hiroshima this evening. We went back to JICA Hiroshima and flew back to Tokyo next morning.
The local visit in Hiroshima Prefecture taught us many things and we thank to everyone we met in Hiroshima. We will never forget you.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1108.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 7, 2006 : Local Visit (Day 3)
Hiroshima Prefectural Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Physical Disabilities is the only facility complex in Hiroshima. The center consists of a primary and secondary school, a medical center, a rehabilitation center, a residential institution, and a sports center.
First we visited Hiroshima Prefectural Saijo Special School for Children with Disabilities. After receiving a brief explanation about the school from a head teacher Mr. Toru NIITANI, we observed classrooms and interacted with students.
In the afternoon, Mr. Mizuseki, head of the medical center gave us a brief explanation about Hiroshima Prefectural Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Physical Disabilities. Afterwards we went around to observe the center, its affiliated institutions. There we saw children and adults with severe or multiple disabilities who lives in this institution, goes to Saijo school, receives medical treatment and rehabilitation, and entertain oneself at the sports center. They stay in this complex facility most of their life.
In Tokyo we had met many people with disabilities who were rather independent and proactive. Therefore this encounter with institutionalized people with severe disabilities here was such a contrast. We were left with many thoughts to reflect on.
This facility complex was made accessible everywhere, yet at the sports center we were amazed to see a special Braille block, which was not 凸凹 but totally flat. This Braille block functions with a special white cane which vibrates when it touches Braille block and even audio guidance is heard at junction corners. We also had an opportunity to try some sports such as wheelchair basketball and wheelchair football etc.
The head of sports center gave us a commemorative gift and the participant from Sri Lanka expressed our appreciation.
This visit became another unforgettable one. Thank you very much, everyone at Hiroshima Prefectural Rehabilitation Center, for your hospitability.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1107.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)
TRAINING REPORT : November 6, 2006 : Local Visit (Day 2)
Second day in Hiroshima. Having a good rest after a long journey yesterday, this morning we woke up refreshed.
The morning session at JICA Hiroshima was reflection on our individual training programs. Through sharing our experiences, we could deepen our understanding and learn from each other.
In the afternoon we paid a courtesy call to Hiroshima Prefectural Office and met with Mr. Masami SAKOI, Director General of Welfare and Health Affairs Department, and Mr. Masashi HAYAKAWA, Managing Director of Social Welfare Bureau. The participant from China expressed gratitude on behalf of the group.
Then we received a lecture from Mr. Tetsuro KONISHI, Director of Support Office for the Disabled and learned about Welfare Policy for Persons with Disabilities in Hiroshima Prefecture.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2006/training/leader1106.html
Posted by jicafriends at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)