AID Initiative

project AID initiative is a unique training program, set to bring out the Ability In Disabled persons in Africa starting from Ajegunle Lagos, Nigeria.

AID Initiative

The word AID simply means to assist, we think it can be the acronym for (Ability In Disability). Definition of disability those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others PROJECT OVERVIEW Project AID Initiative is a skill acquisition program aimed at promoting productivity among specified young Nigerians; mainly on people with disability, engaging these young people in a practical skill activity and social entrepreneurial program. Presently the majority of people with disabilities suffers from stigmatization, depression and low self esteem as a result of rejections, shorn and neglect from the society.The projects’ main objective is to bring out the ability in these young people by letting them know they also can be productive to the society despite their challenges. Because often times we hear, or even read on the media about project donations and generosity of government and some prominent individuals for the disabled, but we still have a lot of them around the streets, highways begging and causing (nuisance). In response to this challenge we advice that giving arms does not improve their condition instead empowering them will go a long way in improving their livelihood and help build their self-esteem. RESEARCH ‘19 million Nigerians are physically challenged’ May 6, 2012 by Leke Baiyewu The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, a non-governmental organisation, has said about 19 million Nigerians have a form of physical disability. It decried the failure of the Nigerian constitution to protect the rights of those with physical challenges. In an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, the CCD Coordinator, Mr. David Anyaele, identified poverty as the major cause of disability. According to him, lack of access to quality health care, poor nutrition and environment, insurgency in the North, road accidents and polio are major causes of disability. He said, “At the CCD, we are of the opinion that more than 19 million Nigerians are living with disability. However, the National Population Commission’s Census of 2006 says 3.2 million Nigerians are living with disability; 61 per cent of this figure is above 18 years.” Anyaele further decried discrimination against people with physical challenges, which he categorised as attitudinal, environmental, institutional, and constitutional. He explained, “People show negative attitude because some see disability as a curse. They isolate, exclude, and stigmatise the less privileged. The environment is not friendly because our public buildings, transport system and academic institutions are hostile to people with disabilities. “Institutionally, the public and private sectors design their policies, products and services at the exclusion of PWDs. As at today, Sections 15 and 42 of Nigeria’s constitution are silent on discrimination against disability and most states have no disability-sensitive laws.” The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law. Prevention of discrimination The Article 8 of Convention stresses the awareness raising to foster respect for the rights and dignity against discrimination: 1. To raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, regarding persons with disabilities, and to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. 2. To combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with disabilities, including those based on sex and age, in all areas of life.] 3. To promote awareness of the capacities and contributions of persons with disabilities. 4. Initiating and maintaining effective public awareness campaigns designed: (i) to nurture receptiveness to the rights of persons with disabilities. (ii) to promote positive perceptions and greater social awareness towards persons with disabilities. (iii) to promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to workplace and the labour market. 5. Encouraging all organs of the mass media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the present Convention. 6. Promoting awareness-training programmes regarding persons with disabilities and the rights of persons with disabilities. Participation rights The Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities recognised that "that disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others" and that "persons with disabilities continue to face barriers in their participation as equal members of society." The Convention makes participation of the disabled one of its principles, stating "The principles of the present Convention shall be:...Full and effective participation and inclusion in society", subsequently enshrining the right of disabled to participate fully and equally in the community, education, all aspect of life (in the context of habilitation and rehabilitation), political and public life, cultural life, leisure and sports.[7] States Parties should take appropriate measure such as: 1. To enables persons with disabilities to have the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative, artistic and intellectual potential, not only for their own benefit, but also for the enrichment of society. 2. In accordance with international law, to ensure that law protecting intellectual property rights do not constitute an unreasonable or discriminatory barrier to access by persons with disabilities to cultural materials. 3. So that persons with disabilities should be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including sign languages and deaf culture. STRATEGIES We intend to make Project AID Initiative a youth engagement project that will involve both professionals and volunteers in our area of subjects. We anticipates achieving our set goals through a peer to peer training method and also ensuring that the skills we make available will not over rule their disability. We also intend to use the medium as advocacy against stigmatization adjacent to disabled persons and we shall leverage on partnership from established (NGOs) organizations and support from external bodies. We shall therefore recruit volunteers and seek advisory with organizations with experience working on a similar project i.e. YEC-Academy, Lagos Empowerment And Resource Network (L.E.A.R.N.), Ajegunle.org (PIN), and Uncommon Man Network etc. GOALS To bridge the gap of negligence between the disabled and the society at large To help develop their self-esteem and bringing to their awareness the fact that they too can also solve problems in the society despite their challenges. To engage, empower and equip one hundred young disabled people with practical skills that have commercial value, through peer to peer training method within a period of one year and six months. IMPLEMENTATION Task 1) Research: We intend to carry out a survey to determine what kind of programs to train our prospect on and how many people will participate in the first batch of the training. Also we intend to use the result research to advice organizations and government agencies on area of concentration for the disabled in the society. However, we intend to use the result of the research as our basis for planning the project. Task 2) Planning: This stage is the most crucial because we have to design the module of the project with the mind of making it an engaging and participatory peer-to-peer program. We also intend to put together a discussion that will involve existing organization that we can work with on this project. Task 3) Publicity: We intend to create a massive awareness campaign and advocacy to stop the stigmatization against disabled persons in our society, through the use of social media, press, print media, TV and radio broadcasting stations etc. Task 4) Recruitment: The process of accepting application from prospective participant for the project AID initiative in 2013. Task 5) Implementation: We shall draw up a curriculum that will enables teach the basic knowledge of the skill and courses. Task 6) Assessment: We intend to create a mechanism that will help us measure the level of impact and achievement during and after the project. SUSTAINABILITY PLAN: We intend to continue this project even after the this project year, thus we have adopted the strategy that engages every participant even after they have been trained. It has been designed to be a “train the trainer” module structure, involving everyone (peer-to-peer) as a resourceful tool for the development of our society.