AWWD

Association for Women with Disabilities (AWWD) www.awwdindia.org


Watching a group of disable women rehearsing their drama play inside this hollow structure of the fountain inside a park is a powerful statement to endorse Dus's strategy of empowering disable women to fight for their own right and rebuild their confidence to make a living for themselves.

When one is faced with the illiterate, disabled women without any esteem of themselves, thinking their committed sins in the past life is why they are what they are, how could someone figure out this approach for the organization. Dus, herself also handicapped, started association for women with disabilities after failing to convince the NGO she worked for to tackle on this area of marginalized disabled women. She also chose to start the project in rural areas all by herself. It was tough as building trust with the villages is difficult and consumes a lot of time and energy. After being accepted by the villagers, they told her where the girls with disabilities are. Typically they stayed home because of lack of accessibility.

The first approach to these DW is personal development. After these DW realize being disable is not shameful and they are just another human being they also have their own right, then Dus will encourage them to find opportunity to do some income generation job. AWWD also extend small credit to whom she might need some small capital to start. The DW themselves must decide what to make, where to sell and how they could make money out of the activities. With their improved economic situation, they gain more acceptance and respect from their family. These DW regain their confidence and have the potential to receive more training from AWWR until they could be leading other unfortunate DW to improve their livihood.

Here is another good example of devotion and extreme passion to help those who suffer from the same problem. Dus also show exceptional quality in her Vision and leadership in training and grooming the whole new generation of leaders out from DWs. The big smiles from those DW make humanity shine.

Patrick