Regional Seminar on Independent Living in Sindh Region

REGIONAL SEMINAR ON INDEPENDENT LIVING in Sindh Region

Title of event: Regional Seminar on Independent Living Seminar (Sindh Region)

Organized by: All Sanghar Handicaps’ Association (ASHA) Sanghar

Collaboration By: Nawabshah Disability Forum (NDF)

Venue: NDF office Nawabshah

Date: 31-05-2012

Purpose: To promote Independent Living (IL) Philosophy in Southern Part of Pakistan through effective collaboration and Networking.

Proceeding

All Sanghar Handicapped Association (ASHA) Sanghar organized regional seminar on IL “Regional Independent Living Seminar (Sindh Region)” to raise awareness on IL in Sindh region, Pakistan. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Murad Ali Jamali District Officer, Social Welfare Department Shaheed Benazir Abad as Chief Guest. Mr. Ghullam Nabi Nizamani & Mr. Abid Lashari were key speakers. 

Welcome speech

Ms. Anna Iqbal Bhatti General Secretary NDF gave warm welcome to all participants came from far flung districts of Sindh (Sanghar, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Ghotki, Naushehro Feroze, Khairpur, Matiari) to witness the event. She told that it is honor for NDF to host seminar organized by ASHA in Nawabshah, this practice should be adopted by other districts to facilitate each one during the programmes. She told the subject of Independent Living is not merely mean to live with segregation but integration. IL concept develops understanding, confidence between service providers (attendants) and consumers (people with disabilities).   She shared that after joining NDF now I am living independently not just living independently but also supporting my other family members and most of them are dependent on me. She emphasized on the issues of women with disabilities and demanded that women must be included in IL.

Key note Speech:

Mr. Mumtaz Ali Mangi President ASHA Sanghar shared the purpose of seminar that Independent Living (IL) is a program through which severally people with disabilities live their life independently. It was founded by people who need quite a lot of personal assistance in everyday life. He told that we are working with Asia Pacific Network of Independent Living (APNIL) and Human care Association to promote IL and struggling to establish Rural Independent Living Center (RILC). Mr. Mangi told about role models with disabilities like Helen Keller and Stephen William Hawking they made a difference. Mr. Mangi described IL as under that People with Disabilities:

·         decide on their own on daily basis

·         have the competence to tell the assistant how best to help them

·         can choose how and where to live

·         can develop a private living space and lifestyle

·         have the right to friendship, love and sex

·         have the right to work and to be paid for it

Mr. Mangi further told that today’s seminar will help you to understand the concept of IL & its components with peer counseling focus. Through the understanding we will replicate the same strategy in Sindh region.

What is Peer counseling?

Mr. Ghullam Nabi Nizamani coordinator ASHA shared history of IL to clarify its philosophy on the request of participants. He told that today is anti-smoking day and in beginning we told you about relationship of smoking and disability. He further told that Independent Living is philosophy of the self choices, self decision making and self determination. This makes it completely different to the traditional rehabilitation philosophy which is therapy-oriented and geared to adapting a person with disability to existing structures of working and living or putting them in exclusion in institutions or center. Independent Living (IL) is a civil rights movement of people with disabilities. It grew in America at the end of the Sixties as a protest to clinical living conditions in institutions. One of the most prominent representatives of this movement is Ed Roberts from Berkeley, California. He was quadriplegic and needed support of oxygen to breath. The IL sees disablement primarily as a social and political problem. The main issues are the articulation of one’s own needs, self-determination, assistance geared to the consumer and participation in politics and administration. He further told that in Asia Pacific region Mr. Shoji Nakanishi from Japan introduced IL and put in practice as center in Japan. He did lot his services and soon 110 IL centers were opened in different cities of Japan. He told that Mr. Nakanishi is also quadriplegic and that proves that people with severe disabilities are core and starting point of IL philosophy. Mr. Nakanishi founded APNIL, which is the most first and active network of IL in AP region. The Milestone society Lahore is pioneer of IL in Pakistan. Now ASHA Sanghar is also working with APNIL for the promotion of IL at rural level and Sindh regional level. He told that when Milestone started working they faced lot difficulties but kept IL limited to their society but we are promoting in other districts, cities and towns too, may be some active organizations run ILC better than ASHA. ASHA dreams to see the most active network of IL in Sindh region. He said that there are many components of IL, like Personal Assistance (PA) service, Peer counseling & others. Peer counseling is very important one and ASHA will work to develop some peer counselors this year and ASHA will have such workshops soon. When you are part of the peer counseling experience you realize how important it is for a person with a disability to have the experience of meeting and talking with another person with a disability. The counselor is a person with a same kind of gender and disability who has realized the uniqueness of their own experiences and how valuable it was to them to share those experiences. This is what peers counseling is all about. The peer counselor is that individual who has attained disability related experiences, knowledge, and coping skills, to assist others with their disability related experiences. He said a peer counseling session not exceed than 45 minutes. And there should be no external interference. Peer Counselor allow user to talk as much user can, the role of peer counselor is just a role of facilitator.

Possibility of IL Network Sindh

Mr. Abid Lashari President Nawabshah Disability Forum (NDF) shared that IL Centers are unique gifts for people with severe disabilities. These centers should not be limited within the walls of some DPOs but it must be spread throughout Pakistan at need based areas as practiced in Japan. He said NDF contacted with APNIL and requested for support in IL. He was informed that ASHA is already promoting IL in Sindh so he may contact with ASHA. On his request ASHA showed grace and decided to hold this seminar in Nawabshah because Nawabshah is central part of Sindh and from any where everybody can participate easily rather going to Karachi or Sanghar. We all are grateful that Rural Independent Living Center Sanghar is doing much more in the district and encourage other DPOs to be involved in the IL, like today’s event mainly active DPOs of Sindh have participated in this seminar. Mr. Lashari showed his commitment to form a possible regional network of IL Sindh. He mentioned that many networks like SDF, CBID Sindh chapter are most active in Sindh already but each network has own nature; hope this network will play its role in Sindh to develop ILCs. Mr. Lashari mentioned that NDF offer its services for networking at provincial level. NDF showed its keen interest to launch Nawabshah IL center, some members with severe disabilities also took part in the seminar. He further informed that IL concept is interpretation of “My choice, my challenge, changes the society”.

Importance of Peer Counseling in IL Center

Mr. Ghullam Nabi Nizamani started third session on the importance of Peer Counseling in IL Center. He added that the goal of peer counseling is directed toward enabling the individual to meet personal needs in order to more fully function and take control of his life, in his home, community and employment. He informed Peer Counseling is one kind of capacity building of a person with disability to gain self-confidence and break self barriers.

Peer counseling has many advantages to the consumer, the counselor and the community. The consumer is given the opportunity to model after someone whom user has reached out to and with whom they share some common experiential base with. User is given the opportunity to develop coping skills that presumably work because they work with the peer counselor, user is relating to. User can learn to advocate on their own behalf. User’s feelings of self-worth can be enhanced because they have a counselor who truly understands. The peer counselor gains in feelings of self worth for user have the opportunity to share a valuable and worthwhile experience. This in turn can motivate the counselor to reach out to others and to perfect own skills. For many peer counselors, this position can be a vehicle for career development. The community, of course, is helped to form a positive image of the disabled. More important, the service to persons with disabilities is improved, allowing these persons to take up a more meaningful role in the community. The development of peer counselors would appear to be the grassroots answer to a growing technology, allowing people to grow closer together rather than apart. Mr. Nizamani told that Peer Counseling is the first service for any user when user identified or referred to ILC. Other services start later when user understands the IL concepts and decides to avail services of ILC. So, it is very important for sustainability of any ILC that it should have strong peer counselors and there must be chain to develop new peer counselors on regular basis. Otherwise ILC will avail short term successes at initial stage than may not sustain because of not including new users through Peer counseling.

Chief Guest speech

Mr. Murad Ali Jamali District Officer Social Welfare graced the occasion as chief guest. He lauded services and contribution of ASHA in Sindh especially in Sanghar. He gave congratulations to all DPOs for the opportunity of IL centers. These centers will be beneficial for people with severe disabilities. This practice should be repeated in all districts, social welfare department will try its level best to boost up the IL centers. People with disabilities should live their lives with their own choices with under IL concept.  He said Mr. Nizamani is also my teacher and every time I learned from him. We are thankful to NDF that brought Mr. Nizamani at Nawabshah. He praised services of NDF and assured full cooperation from Government side. He also announced the date for one window operation for obtaining disability registration certificate and National identity card in Nawabshah and invited all to spread this information, as much as people with disabilities should be benefitted.

Group work

The groups were developed to make practice of Peer counseling. It was great experience for each group during the program. Mr. Nizamani gave one practical example of peer counseling with one member. The entire group showed their keen interest and did well during activity.

Plan of Action

The consultative meeting of executives of DPOs from all over Sindh held to discuss plan of action. Mr. Abid Lashari facilitated the meeting. It was suggested that many networks were developed but due to lack of resources & proper coordination could not sustained and collapsed. On this stage it was informed that SDF is running successfully under the leadership of Abid Lashari and CBID Sindh chapter is newly founded. IL is totally new philosophy in Sindh. After a long discussion and brainstorming it was decided that at initial level if any DPO shows its interest, that organization may launch the IL Center at their respective district city or town. ASHA will provide initial support, in this way one by one ILC will be established than a network of ILCs will be formed for further collaboration to get link up at international level. NDF Nawabshah & NDSP Khairpur announced to launch IL centers very soon in their respective districts. It was encouraged by ASHA & other members during meeting.   

Conclusion

The Seminar on IL proved as training workshop to get knowledge about IL concept & practice of peer counseling. The purpose of seminar was to provide information to people with disabilities and their organizations about independent living. The replication of IL centers in other rural based districts was also come in discussion. The seminar was concluded with ray of hope of IL centers in Sindh region as soon as possible.

Vote of Thanks

Mr. Ghullam Ali Shah member ASHA paid vote of thanks of all participants especially NDF for its valuable collaboration & contribution in organizing seminar in Nawabshah. He also shared that one window operation for registration of people with disabilities introduced by ASHA in Sanghar and now adopted by Sindh Government. He paid also thanks to all participants from other districts.

ANNEXURE

Seminar ORGANIZED BY ASHA SANGHAR

Collaboration BY NDF Nawabshah

REGIONAL INDEPENDENT LIVING SEMINAR (Sindh Region)

date: 31-05-2012

Time	Module	Facilitator	Description
Session: Peer Counseling
10:00 A.M	Registration	NDF	The registration of participants
10:30 A.M	Recitation	Hafiz Naseer	Recitation
10:40 A.M	Introduction	Mumtaz Ali Mangi	This will be ice-breaking session too and trainees will be introduced in interesting way
10:50 A.M	Welcome Speech	Anna Iqbal Bhatti	Welcome to the guests from ASHA & NDF
11:00 A.M	Key note speech	Mumtaz Ali Mangi	Purpose of Seminar and background
11:20 A.M	What is Peer counseling?	Ghullam Nabi Nizamani	Introduction to IL and Peer Counseling
12:00 Noon	Q&A	NDF	To clear more concept
12:15 A.M	Tea Break	---------------	--------------------------------------------
12:30 Noon	Possibility of IL Network Sindh	Abid Lashari	Sharing and facilitation
13:00 p.m	Lunch	-------------	----------------------
15:00 p.m	Importance of Peer Counseling in IL Center	Ghullam Nabi Nizamani	ILC and relation of peer counseling
15:20 pm	Chief Guest Speech	Murad Ali Jamali	Guest Renmarks
15:35p.m	Group work	Groups	To practice a sample peer counseling session
15.45p.m	Plan of action	Abid Lashari	To develop plan for possible networking in consultative meeting style
16:00	Vote of Thanks	ASHA	To conclude seminar

Methodology:                   Oral Presentation, brainstorming and group work

Required Material:         Multi Media/Flip charts

DPOS INVITED TO ATTEND THE SEMINAR

S.No	Name of DPO	Name of Executive	Invitation	Participation
1	Ghotki Disability Forum (GDF)	Hafiz Naseer Ahmed	Invited	Participated
2	Mazoor Itehad Sukkur	Shahnawaz Kandharo	Invited	Participated
3	Disabled Welfare Thull	Gause Bux Buririo	Invited	Participated
4	Sindh Disabled Welfare Association	Nabi Bux Shar	Invited	Participated
5	Disability Forum Naushehro Feroze	Ghullam Sarwar	Invited	Participated
6	NDSP Khairpur	Ali Ansar Sindhoo	Invited	Participated
7	Confidential Disabled Welfare Association	Khadim Solangi	Invited	Participated
8	Disabled Welfare association Matiari	Manzoor Memon	Invited	Participated
9	Ali Asghar	Special Persons Welfare Association Nawabshah	Invited	Participated
10	Ramzan Ahmed	ASPR	Invited	Participated
11	DWA Karachi	Javed Rais	Invited	Not Participated
12	ARCP Karachi	Mobin uddin	Invited	Not Participated
13	Danishkadah	Muhammad Akram	Invited	Not Participated
14	Gulistan-e-Mazoreen Mirpurkhas	Javed Malik	Invited	Not Participated
15	Special forum for disabled Mirpurkhas	Mool Chand	Invited	Not Participated
16	Mirpurkhas Disability Forum	Zafar Ahmed Panhwar	Invited	Not Participated
17	Dadu Disability Forum (DDF)	Nzeer Ahmed Solangi	Invited	Not Participated
18	All Special Persons Welfare Association Khairpur	Muhammad Ali Phulpoto	Invited	Not Participated
19	ASHA Sanghar	Mumtaz Ali Mangi	Organized the seminar
20	NDF Nawabshah	Abid Lashari	Hosted the seminar

NOTE. Total 20 organizations were invited out of them 12 organizations participated meanwhile 08 organizations could not participate due their own activities like wheel chair basket ball tournament in Karachi will be ended on 2^nd June 2012.