NOWPDP
NOWPDP was established in 2008 as a disability inclusion initiative. It operates in the areas of education and economic empowerment through its dedicated seven pillars approach. Leading philanthropist Amin Hashwani serves as the President of NOWPDP. Over the period of 14 years of its establishment, NOWPDP has trained 1900+ persons with disabilities and placed 800+ in mainstream jobs. In 2018, NOWPDP was awarded the Zero Project Award at the United Nations for its effort in workplace accessible for persons with disabilities. Vision. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have equal access to opportunities and are an integral part of  the society. Mission. Promote an inclusive society through holistic and sustainable endeavors in the areas of education and economic empowerment. NOWPDP is certified by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP), and is a member of the Provincial Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Government of Sindh. NOWPDP is also accredited for the Conference of State Parties to the UN Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has obtained a consultative status on the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council. Pillars of NOWPDP. Rehnumai – Guidance. Persons with disabilities do not have proper access to answers and information on  anything disability related. There is no centralized data pool or hub where sources, leads and answers may be obtained. NOWPDP established the following pillar to guide and give direction to the community as well as educate them on their rights and the facilities/benefits to which they are entitled through the State. Rehnuma is an Online and On-site Resource Directory, which provides a listing of services and benefits for persons with disabilities in categories such as Formal Education, Assistive Devices, Legal Aid, NGOs, Vocational Training and more. Shanakht – Identity. NOWPDP conducts Special CNIC Camps which are a one-window  operation designed such that all relevant governmental departments come under one roof. This reduces the process of a person with disability acquiring a Disability certificate and/or a Special CNIC from twelve weeks to two hours. These Special CNICs hold great benefits and facilities for persons with disabilities. NOWPDP has been working every year to ensure that as many persons with disabilities get their Special CNICs and subsequently their Shanakht. Falah – Welfare. The pillar of Falah or welfare caters to the fundamental rights of one of the most marginalized communities in Pakistan – persons with disabilities. NOWPDP provides access to: Assistive Devices . NOWPDP believes that assistive devices make living and functioning of persons with disabilities and are in fact a basic right. Therefore, under the pillar of Falah. PWDs are facilitated in acquiring assistive devices if there is need. Scores of persons with disabilities can truly succeed and follow their dreams if only they receive a bit of accessibility as per their needs. Ration. Nothing precedes sustenance and everything stems from it. With the COVID – 19 pandemic giving large blows to everybody, particularly persons with disabilities, NOWPDP has been working to bring the community out of a vicious cycle of poverty. With  more and more families losing livelihoods to make ends meet, NOWPDP has been distributing ration to a large number of persons with disabilities. Clean Drinking Water. NOWPDP took up the responsibility of building RO plants for residents hailing from the lower income areas under the banner of Falah. Unmatched and inappropriate sanitation services and a lack of access to clean sources has made things worse for persons with disabilities, particularly in poor districts like Sujawal. Medical Clinic. A medical clinic in the heart of Sujawal district in Sindh, that caters to the health and wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities. Taleem  – Special and Inclusive Education. About 95% of children with disabilities are not going to schools. Owing to a lack of understanding of children with disabilities and what they require, their opportunities of acquiring a formal education are just too limited. They are often isolated from the mainstream society. Social stigma, bullying, a lack of depth and understanding lead to them being isolated, lonely and socially disengaged. NOWPDP provides special and inclusive education to children with disabilities equipping them such that they can eventually join the mainstream society. NOWPDP offers primary schooling through: Hunar – Skills Development. “Moving from the Margins”, a  study commissioned to NOWPDP by the British Council revealed that certain trades could help boost employability of persons with disabilities. With the systemic prejudice meted out to persons with disabilities, vocational training can increase their edge in the paradigm of employment. NOWPDP provides skills development training to persons with disabilities through its program, Dastoor. In 2019, NOWPDP launched the NOWPDP Training Center (NTC) to ensure persons with disabilities would obtain Hunar that would propel them towards employment. NOWPDP Training Centers are scattered across Pakistan in the cities of Karachi, Islamabad and Sujawal. NOWPDP offers 23 different vocational trainings to persons  with disabilities. Graphic designing, computer operator, receptionist, mobile repairing, and web development are a few examples. Rozgar – Employment. Persons with disabilities have traditionally had a more difficult time getting employment. Moreover, with COVID-19 adversely affecting the dynamics of employment for everybody, persons with disabilities have fallen even further behind. NOWPDP has a two-pronged strategy for economic empowerment through its program Yaqeeen. Yaqeeen works on the following model: 1. Recruitment of Persons with Disabilities - This involves the outreach of candidates, their career development and their employment. 2. Capacity Building of Organizations - This revolves around the building of capacity of all  organizations to include persons with disabilities as employees and consumers both. This includes infrastructural audits, employee sensitization, and role mapping for persons with disabilities. KhudMukhtari – Self Employment and Other Initiatives. NOWPDP highlights the need of innovating and developing new interventions for the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities. Other initiatives can also help increase the chance of earning a livelihood when a person with disability doesn’t have the right opportunity for education or employment. The Rickshaw Project is one of the oldest projects of NOWPDP and a main facet of this program apart from other entrepreneurial initiatives. Each rickshaw  is retrofitted and given to trained drivers with disabilities to earn a livelihood. In addition, the KhudMukhtari pillar also aims to increase access to the acquisition of microfinance loans. Geographic Reach. Karachi. NOWPDP’s journey began in 2008 in one of the largest cities of Pakistan to facilitate the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities. It has now evolved to become an overarching force that not only provides training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities but also advocates for their rights and guides them to better solutions. Nestled in the heart of Saddar, NOWPDP’s Head Office is an  accessible facility which is always available to all persons with disabilities who need assistance and guidance. Sujawal. In 2020, NOWPDP formed a team in Sujawal to establish the first Center of Excellence for Disability Inclusion that is a successful outcome of public & private partnership. Located approximately 130 kilometers from Karachi, the Moriro Markaz’s facilities range from the provision of basic needs such as ration and clean drinking water under the pillar of Falah to Shanakht, Taleem, Hunar and Rozgar, subsequently leading to Khudmukhtari for one of the poorest populations in Pakistan. Islamabad. In 2020, a new office was established  in the state’s federal capital as a testament to NOWPDP’s efforts to reach out to the northern side of Punjab. This regional office strives to facilitate persons with disabilities in getting employment while also hosting a plethora of trainings for them. Presence in the country’s capital gives NOWPDP Islamabad team the opportunity to build relations with governmental stakeholders and work closely with them to further our mandate of disability inclusion. With a regional office in Islamabad, we have extended out footprint into Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan.