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October 27, 2008
Message to 2008 Leaders' Course Participants from Ms. Shalika - Sri Lanka
To all participants of the 2008 Leadership Development Course,
I sincerely wish all of you the very best and hope that you too will learn as much as I did about the facilities afforded to PWDs in Japan. I was able to experience how technology is used to make life better for us - things I would never even have dreamt of. I was so thrilled with the Braille tiles on the floor and the talking elevator. In Sri Lanka, I could never travel alone in an elevator as there aren't any talking ones. I was also amazed by the Personal Assistant and Job Assistant scheme. How easy life would be if such a thing could be implemented in our countries too. It is sometimes hard to implement every good thing one experiences in Japan as ours are developing countries and have many financial constraints. But I will always endeavour to get atleast some of them implemented. It might take ages but I'll keep on bugging the authorities - So must you !
My training period in Japan was also a learning experience of the challenges that others with different disabilities face daily. There are four participants with vision impairment this year whereas in my year, I was the only one. My friend, Andrea from Costa Rica was my sight and I was her feet. Together, we wandered the streets around the JICA centre during our free time. Believe me, we were a good combination. Bing Quang from China also helped me out when moving around. We learnt valuable lessons of co-existance. We helped each other not only with our physical difficulties but also in other ways. Leo from Belize was the singer in our group and always made sure that everyone was cheerful. Fabio from Columbia was the computer genius and we sought his assistance when something went wrong with our laptops. Bing Quang was the person who made it sure that there was always discipline and law and order. Ruby from Vanvatu was ever ready to help others. She and Khem Phong from Laos were skilled in handicraft and fixed whatever we needed. Andrea was a teacher and translator and thus helped out with the preparation of reports. The experience I received in Japan is very unique and I am glad I got the opportunity. I am sure you too will feel the same. So good luck with your future endeavours.
A special note to the participant from Sri Lanka, please contact me and perhaps we can work together to make Sri Lanka a more disable friendly nation.
Shalika Karunaratne
Participant from Sri Lanka
Leadership Development Course - 2006
Posted by jicafriends at 07:49 PM | Comments (3)
October 20, 2008
Sabaidee from Ms. Khemphone-Lao PDR
Dear Jicafriends
Sabaidee to evry participants of JICA Leadership Development Course 2008.
Welcome to the Leadership Development Course.
Don't keep up if you feel difficulty in some activities
Enjoy Japan! It is beautyful country and Japanese people are all kind.
Sabaidee to all trainers in my memory.
I hope that all of you will have good memories as same as me.
Good luck!
Khemphone (JICA Leadership Development Course 2006)
Posted by jicafriends at 07:03 PM | Comments (1)
October 16, 2008
Personal / Organizational Report Presentation
Nine participants for Leadership Development Course are arriving in Japan on
Oct. 21.
Presentation on their Personal / Organizational Report is programmed on Oct. 31, last day of the month, at Waseda University International Communiction Center.
Please refer to the following event information.
http://www.jicafriends.net/archives/08101601.pdf
Posted by jicafriends at 03:47 PM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2008
New software for the visually challenged-Malaysia
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
THE National Council for the Blind Malaysia (NCBM) recently presented a new software known as 'Save As DAISY XML', which allows the creation of documents with contents that can be accessible by people who are visually impaired.
'Save As DAISY XML' is an add-on, designed specially for MicrosoftWord 2007, Word 2003 and Word XP. It will allow users to save OpenXML-based text files into Digital Accessible Information System(DAISY) XML – the foundation of the globally accepted DAISY standard for reading and publishing navigable multimedia content.
NCBM president S. Kulasegaran said: "Through this software, thevisually-impaired will have a better opportunity to access books,texts, literature and poetry."
Previously a variety of assisting technologies such as screen readers, refreshable Braille and text-to-speech synthesisers were used.
"But it was not possible to navigate complex page layouts. 'Save As DAISY XML' makes it possible to navigate quickly through a document byheading or page number as well as the use of indexes and references. And by burning the content into CD, the visually impaired can play it on the CD player, computer or notebook," he said, adding that he hopesa Bahasa Malaysia engine will be developed in the future.
Microsoft Malaysia National Technology Officer Dr Dzaharuddin Mansorsaid: "Because Microsoft Word is a commonly used tool, this add-on allows for content creators in different fields to produce accessibledigital material by and for Malaysians, especially individuals withassisting needs." – Tan Teong-li
For more information on the 'Save As DAISY XML' tool, visit the NCBMwebsite at http://www.ncbm.org.my/
Updated: 01:19PM Mon, 13 Oct 2008
Posted by jicafriends at 03:20 PM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2008
Congratulations! Mr. Ichiro Maruyama
JICA 2008 Presidential Award to the late Mr. Ichiro Maruyama
Our forever leader, the late Mr. Ichiro Maruyama, former course leader of Voc. Rehab Course, received the 5th JICA Presidential Award.
This award is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to JICA’s technical assistance in respective fields since 2004. This year, thirty two Japanese and foreign individuals and ten organizations are presented with JICA 2008 Presidential Awards.
The commendation ceremony was held on September 16 at JICA headquarters and the award was handed to Mrs. Maruyama by JICA President Ms. Sadako Ogata.
Mr. Maruyama was a man of foresight and what he has done is so meaningful for persons with disabilities of the world that we cannot be valued.
We all jicafriends are proud of his award.
Congratulations! Mr.Maruyama.
We do hope you can hear our voice.
President's Desk: http://www.jica.go.jp/english/about/president/
We, jicafriends, would like show our sincere gladness that Mr. Maruyama’s remarkable achievement was recognized in this way.
Secretariat of jicafriends
Posted by jicafriends at 05:28 PM | Comments (0)
Duskin Leadership Training Program 2009
The "Duskin Leadership Training Program in Japan" was launched in 1999, the year marking the intermediate stage of the "The 10 years for persons with disabilites in the Asia-Pacific region," a development program announced by UNESCAP, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in order to better respond to the needs of the Asia-Pacific region in improving welfare programs.
The Duskin program invites from 5 to 10 young people with disabilities who have potential to be community leaders. To help achieve their goals, this program provides an opportunity for them to learn about welfare measures, policies and services for persons with disabilities in Japan and thus improve their knowledge and skills.
Eight trainees for the 10th Duskin Leadership Training Program arrived in Japan at the beginning of this September and now they are intensively studying Japanese language.
The Application deadline for the 11th Training Program is November 14, 2008.
If you are interested in this program, please visit the following page.
http://www.normanet.ne.jp/~duskin/english/
The secretariat of jicafriends
Posted by jicafriends at 03:26 PM | Comments (0)
October 01, 2008
Society of Physically Disabled wants to be represented at the assemblies-Ghana
The following information is about the organization which Mr. Michael Kweku OCRAN, former participant of Leaders' Course 2004 belongs to and it was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
By gna
Social Affairs | Mon, 29 Sep 2008
The Ghana Society of Physically Disabled has advocated for the enactment of a law that would give the physically challenged one quarter of the seats in Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies.
The Society said this was necessary to help them to participate effectively in decision-making whiles also championing the cause for their own progress.
Mr Osei Bonsu, chairman of the Adansi North District branch of the Society, made the appeal at a day's HIV/AIDS sensitization programme for the disabled at Dompoase near Fomena organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission.
Mr Bonsu said he was not happy about the misconception majority of Ghanaians have about the disabled and said this was as a result of their continuous neglect and marginalization at all levels of the society.
He said in spite of these challenges, disabled persons should not lose hope but strive to take advantage of the opportunities made available by government, non-governmental organizations, corporate bodies and philanthropists to learn trades.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/184240/1/society-of-physically-disabled-wants-to-be-represe.html
Posted by jicafriends at 03:36 PM | Comments (0)