PWD trainees at VOICE Center

Nepal has eight peaks over 8,000 meters, including the world's highest peak, "Everest (local name: Sagarmatha)", so many of climbers visit Nepal for climbing every year. However, not many Nepalese have climbed the Himalayas because most of people in Nepal are stuck in poverty. Among vulnerable groups, people with disabilities are the most vulnerable because of limitations and barriers to activities of daily life caused by their disabilities.

Since 2018, Miral Welfare Foundation has been implementing the vocational training in Kavre region targeting people with disabilities in low income family for their self-reliance in partnership with SISN(Spinal Injury Sangh Nepal), and this project has been being sponsored by KOICA(Korea International Cooperation Agency). However, the COVID-19 crisis has stopped all kinds of daily life, and VOICE Center could not help discontinuing vocational training for persons with disabilities since 2nd quarter of 2020.

PWD trainees who are getting vaccinated against COVID-19

VOICE center has tried to ensure that people with disabilities can receive vocational training safely under the COVID-19 outbreak. VOICE Center established the COVID-19 safety management Guidelines and build up an emergency crisis response system in cooperation with nearby hospital facilities. In addition, VOICE Center worked with local health authorities for vaccination of staff members and PWD trainees.

Hostel only for PWD trainees

In addition, Miral Welfare Foundation headquarters invested $100,000 for building the hostel only for PWD trainees, and this allows them to concentrate on the training itself during participation in vocational training of VOICE center.

Basic sewing class orientation

On July 2021, three kinds of vocational training(basic sewing class, basic E/O class, and vocational training instructor qualification class) has been resumed, and total 35 people with disabilities enrolled in these courses.

Even though PWD trainees were admitted to VOICE Center, the vocational training couldn’t be launched. Ahead of starting the training officially, the center has been disinfected twice a day, and all the trainees got PCR Test and did the self-quarantine for a week. On July 22, all the trainees were vaccinated against COVID-19 in cooperation with the Spinal Injury Sangh Nepal, a local partner organization and the health authority, and on July 26, medical specialists such as medical doctor, nurse and physical therapist provided an education on understanding and response to COIVD-19 infectious disease.

It might be not easy for people with disabilities to stay in the hostel for a training during about five months. However, the participants of the training seems to be happy and motivated because they are able to be looking forward to independence economically when completing the course in VOICE center. On August 5, the vocational training instructor qualification class has began for people with disabilities, and, on August 20, basic E/O(Employment Orientation) class has resumed for those who want to start a business or get employed through computer and Language skills.

Vocational training instructor qualification class and Basic E/O class

For the past three years, as Nepal's first professional vocational training institution for people with disabilities, VOICE Center has been being operated for establishing an Disability-Inclusive vocational training curriculum and environment. COVID-19 Outbreak let us learn importance of resilience to person with disabilities. We thinks PWD trainees might be able to strengthen their resilience if all the regions of Nepal are accessible for people with disabilities in all aspect such as vocational training, employment, and running their own business, etc. For this, VOICE center and Miral Welfare Foundation has been trying to advocate disability inclusiveness targeting community stake holders on a regular basis and organize the network between public and private sectors.

The Miral Welfare Foundation has been trying to guarantee basic right to vocational training for people with disabilities and it might lead them to achieve their dream. Please join us on the journey of the people with disabilities to get educated and get a job and achieve their dreams. Then, they will finally be able to climb and enjoy the Himalayas someday.