(Graphic image of gold Rotary-gear logo to right of blue text stating "Rotary Word Disability Advocacy".) |
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Addressing human-rights issues for
people with disabilities around the world
Good things are going on all over the world!
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We Are Coordinators - Not Managers - of Human-Right Projects |
(Poster of raised hands of people of various skin colors, with this quote from Nelson Mandela: "To Deny People Their Human Rights Is To Challenge Their Very Humanity.")
As we move forward with our Club, it is important to remember that when we were chartered last June by Rotary International, we said that our Club will be a coordinator of human-rights projects rather than a manager of those projects. Most Rotary clubs take on and manage projects that meet one or more of Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus. They are involved in managing the project by providing people with power and/or funding.
We are different. When a need is identified, it is our role to put the factors together that may result in a project. That means we will communicate the need, connect the groups that can meet that need, and facilitate a collaboration of several factors to turn that need into a successful project. For example, a group in Kenya wants to give out hearing aids to children in a deaf school.
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(Graphic image of gold Rotary gear to right of blue text stating "Rotary World Disability Advocacy, which is above graphic image of numerous people of different colors holding hands while encircling world.)
The Rotary Disabilities Advisory Group - a worldwide movement on behalf of - and by - people with disabilities - has 323 members from 20 countries. They consist of 123 Rotarians and 200 non-Rotarians.
The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy has 20 active and 10 honorary members.
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(Graphic image of blackboard with white-chalk text stating "Introduce Yourself," and red-heart icon in place of letter "O" in word "yourself.")
Please include the following regarding yourself:
1. Country of residence
2. Role in the society
3. Whether you are a person with a disability, a parent of a child with disability, and/or a diversity- and disability-rights advocate.
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Fostering Change for Individuals with Disability through Rotary International
Source: The Bedford Citizen - Bedford, Massachusetts, United States
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(Screenshot of front-page story in The Bedford Citizen, showing article headline and head-and-shoulders photos of Ralph Hammond (left), and Ken Masson (right), two of our Club's co-founders.)
In the United States, there has been lots of talk about disability rights and the importance of equal access and inclusion, and it is encouraging that some of the time, positive change happens. Institutions that set individuals with various disabilities apart from the regular population are mostly gone.
Most cities and towns have a limited supply of accessible, affordable housing so that some people with disabilities can live in the town. In employment, some people with disability who are ready to work get jobs, but most do not. The unemployment rate for those of us with disabilities is about 20%, well above the average rate in the United States.
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Two Swiss athletes win wheelchair-division trophies |
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(Wheelchair winners Marcel Hug (left) and Manuela Schär (right), both of Switzerland, posting after the race, and holding jointly a winner's trophy. Photo:Jessica Rinaldi, Boston Globe)\
A $50,000 check vanished in Marcel Hug’s slipstream when the Swiss athlete missed a right turn just a half-mile from the Boston Marathon finish line Monday.
Hug did win the men’s wheelchair division, but his 1:18:11 time was 7 seconds shy of the course record he set four years ago.
Manuela Schär of Switzerland easily topped the field in the women’s wheelchair division with a 1:35:21 time. Second place went to five-time champion Tatyana McFadden, who trailed Schär by 14:59. Schär had an average pace of 3:39 per mile, with McFadden at 4:13.
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UN Issues 'Disability-Inclusive Communications Guidelines'
Source: United Nations
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(Cover of "United Nations Disability-Inclusive Communications Guidelines," showing report' title, United Nations logo, and images of red globe surrounded by partial and full smaller red globes.)
The United Nations Disability-Inclusive Communications Guidelines were developed by the Department of Global Communications in collaboration with the Disability Team in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, members of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) focal-point network, and in consultation with the International Disability Alliance.
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Listen Live on Eye Audio Radio, October 20 |
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(Eye Audio Radio's "White Cane Awareness Day" poster showing cartoon figures of two people with visual disabilities: a man walking with the aid of a white cane; and a woman walking with the aid of a seeing-eye dog.)
Listen live to Eye Audio Radio's "White Cane Awareness Day" webcast, on Wednesday, October 20 at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time).
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Free post-graduate courses for people with special needs |
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(Promotional poster for Prakramika Vocational Institute's "Post-Graduate Diploma Exclusively for People with Special Needs.")
Prakramika Vocational Institute in collaboration with Emplusive Training Center is offering post-graduate education, exclusively for people with special needs. The five diploma areas are as follows:
- Hospitality and Event Management
- Early Childhood Education
- Data Entry and Data Analysis
- Designing and Animation
- International Business Administration Entrepreneurship
All courses are internationally accredited and completely free of cost. The admission process is only for new students, and not for existing students. The age limit 15 years and above.
Note: The admission process is only for new students, and not for existing students. The age limit 15 years and above.
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Addressing issues affecting teachers with disabilities |
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(Marchers celebrating World Teachers Day on October 5, and holding a banner that states, "Teachers at the heart of education recovery.")
A National Council for Persons with Disabilities delegation has met with the head of administrative services for the Teachers Service Commission regarding NCPWD complaints lodged with the Commission by teachers with disabilities, which need to be addressed. The issues include the following: acquiring tax exemption; promotions; guide allowances; transfers/redeployments; and accessibility of premises. The meeting resulted in a direct channel between the NCPWD delegation and TSC for addressing complaints of teachers with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the two institutions will continue engaging on how to address the aforementioned issues in collaboration with the relevant TSC directorates. Awareness sessions will also be done, to provide more information on TSC services and policies, which govern TSC's workforce of more than 300,000 workforce and the place for teachers with disabilities in the workforce.
If you are a teacher with disability and have a disability-related issue that needs to be addressed, e-mail NCPWD at legal@ncpwd.go.ke
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Technical university admits first deaf student |
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The Technical University of Mombasa has become the first university at Kenya Coast to admit a deaf student. Being the only chartered university with its headquarters in Mombasa, TUM boasts of its main campus at Tudor Mombasa Island, and its two campuses, at Kwale, and Lamu. TUM has other students with different categories of disabilities.
Under the leadership of the University Council and the University's vice chancellor, Professor Laila Abubakar, TUM states its commitment to fulfill the constitutional provisions and implementation of affirmative-action policy. The professor expresses desire and commitment to ensure that no one is left out of education only on account of disability.
Congratulations to TUM's newly admitted students and its team, with sincere appreciation for the concerted efforts.
Inclusivity is key for socioeconomic development of persons with disabilities. The TUM will work in collaboration with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, under the leadership of Board Chairman Peter Muchiri Shiri Peter and Executive Director Harun M. Hassan, to ensure accessibility and inclusivity are achieved.
The University states it will continue to improve and provide an enabling environment for students, staff and clients with disabilities.
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(Graphic image of gold Rotary-gear logo to right of blue text stating "Rotary Word Disability Advocacy)
The deadline for stories and photos/images for our October 26 Newsletter is on Friday, October 22.
Please submit your stories and related photos/images to Newsletter Editor Ralph Hammond either via WhatsApp or at ralph.hammond@verizon.net.
All stories must be in either e-mail, PDF, WhatsApp, or Word format.
All photos/images must be in either GIF, JPG, or PNG format.
Our Newsletter team looks forward to receiving news and information from around the world about people with disabilities, and efforts to help them achieve autonomy and respect.
We encourage you to post your disability-related news, information, events, and activities on our club's WhatsApp page.
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JOIN OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS |
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(Screenshot of online calendar of events, meetings, and activities for Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy.)
With scores of international members, the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy focuses on coordinating human-rights needs for people with disabilities in countries around the world.
Our club has set up international committees in many countries to, identify needs.
We have created an online calendar (shown) for scheduling for all the meetings being held by our club, group, committees, and subcommittees.
While it does not include Zoom links, it will eventually.
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(Head and shoulders of Ken Masson against background photo of cloudy sky with double rainbow above mountainous Colombian landscape
Our monthly Club meeting - for Club members, only - is held on the third Monday at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern time).
Our monthly Group meeting - for both Club members and non-members - is held on the first Monday at 12:00 noon (Eastern time).
To convert Eastern time to your own time, click here.
To obtain the Zoom login for our Club and/or Group meetings, contact Ken Masson our Club's president for Rotary year 2021-2022, via either WhatsApp or at kennethmasson@gmail.com.
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MISSED OUR LATEST MEETINGS? |
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(Head and shoulders of Nirmala Mehendale, president of the India-based World Kindness Movement)
To watch this 54-minute video of the October 18 meeting of the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, click here.
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(Head and shoulders of guest speaker Anne Oyoo, who runs the Kenya-based Clubfoot Society of Kenya.)
To watch this 68-minute video of the October 4 meeting of Rotary Disabilities Advisory Group. click here.
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(Head and shoulders of guest speaker Ralph Hammond, as he addresses "How to Apply for a Rotary Grant."
To watch this 65-minute video of the September 30 meeting of the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, click here.
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(Head and shoulders of guest speaker Carolina Barrios, as she shares her experience with"How Successful Rotary Grants Work.")
To watch this 53-minute video of the September 21 meeting of the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, click here.
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(Screenshot of top half of home page of blogsite for Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy.)
Our club is dedicated to the human rights of people with disabilities.
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(Graphic image of numerous people of different colors holding hands while encircling the world.)
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October 12, 2021 - No issue
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October 5, 2021 - No Issue
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September 28, 2021 - No issue
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September 21, 2021 - No issue
- September 14, 2021
- September 7, 2021
- August 31, 2021
- August 24, 2021
- August 17, 2021
- August 10, 2021
- August 3, 2021
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WE FOLLOW ROTARY'S FOUR-WAY TEST |
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(Graphic image of gold Rotary-gear logo to right of blue text stating "Rotary Word Disability Advocacy.")
Our Rotary Club follows Rotary International's Four-Way Test, a non-partisan and non-sectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The Test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at Club meetings:
Of the things we think, say, or do
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Is it the truth?
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Is it fair to all concerned?
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Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
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Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
To learn more on Rotary's Guiding Principles, click here.
To contact Ken Masson, our Club's 2021-2022 president, click here.
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