Follow-up Mission to Bangladesh
2-5 October 2005
The mission team conducted an APCD Networking and
Follow-up Seminar for Former APCD Trainees in Bangladesh on
3 October 2005 at the Ministry of Social Welfare, presided
over by H.E. Mr. Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, Minister of
Social Welfare, along with high-ranking officials and ex-APCD
trainees as well as representatives of Associate Organizations.
The mission team visited some of the Self-help Organizations and Self-help Groups, which have developed in Bangladesh.
The Action on Disability and Development (ADD) has developed 750 SHGs, that are collaborating with 62 disabled people's organizations in 27 districts. Also, this Organization promotes awareness campaigns by using a track team in the village community, where dissemination of information especially to those who had no opportunity for education seemed to be most effective.
The Bangladesh Protibandhi Kaliyan Somity (BPKS) has been developing their SHG programs in most of the regions in Bangladesh. They organized the National Alliance of People with Disabilities Organizations with about 50 disabled people's organizations based on the caste disability groups, especially with a large number of people with visual and hearing impairments.
The Center for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) has been doing research and developing disability and information services funded by Handicap International (HI) Bangladesh.
APCD also visited the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), which has been doing research and development in the technical field, e.g., software for Braille translation into the national language and vice versa. They have also been developing sign language with the computer and published two textbooks.
The mission team also visited the Society for Education and Care of Hearing Impaired Children of Bangladesh (HICARE) training schools for hearing impaired children. APCD will continue to promote community-based rehabilitation and empowerment of people with disabilities to sustain and empower persons with disabilities and promote a barrier-free society.
