Miral Welfare Foundation is currently running international development projects, such as Rehabilitation for People With Disabilities (PWDs), Child Sponsorship, or Educational Support, in 11 countries.  In 2022, Miral Welfare Foundation held campaigns for raising disability awareness and advocating the rights of PWDs in the community, as celebrating International Day of People with Disability. Through campaigns in Malawi, Kenya, Nepal, Philippines and Cote D'ivoire, Miral Welfare Foundation delivered the message saying that “Disability is not inability” and showed the potentials of PWDs in various areas and the necessity of social inclusion of them. 

 ※ International Day of People with Disability is December 3^rd every year, which is a day designated by United Nations to celebrate the rights of people with disabilities globally.  

Malawi

Miral Malawi has been implementing various projects in Nkhoma, including the project for social inclusion of families of PWDs.

Miral Malawi held the Disability Awareness Event in Kachala Community Center on December 2^nd, 2022.  More than 300 people attended the event, while community people who have been participating in the farm clubs and disability committees mainly led the event. Farm clubs and disability committees are parts of the project supported by KOICA. There were variety of performances given by PWDs, such as sign language choir, poetry reading, and play and several government officials gave speeches about ‘Disability is not inability’. This event was especially broadcasted through local TV program to reach out to more audiences in the community. 

  

Kenya 

Miral Kenya is currently operating the projects in Kisumu, including child sponsorship, to ensure the children with disabilities to go to schools and get the education.

In last October in 2022, Miral Kenya held the event at the Kolunga public school for raising disability awareness in the community that children with disabilities can be ensured their rights to be educated and go to public schools. In the event, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, National Council for People With Disabilities and Nyabondo Rehabilitation Center collaborated with Miral Kenya and installed each booth. About 1,000 people including parents, teachers, and community people who attended the event learned about special need education, training on types of disability and attitudes toward disability, and took the quizzes about disability so that they can get proper understanding of it. At the same time, it was addressed in the various local media that more community people could learn about disability and remember  International Day of People With Disability.

Nepal

Miral Nepal is currently running a Vocational Rehabilitation Project for PWDs in partnership with Spinal Injury Sangh Nepal, with the support of KOICA. 

VOICE Center, providing vocational training and rehabilitation to PWDs as part of the project, raised voices for PWDs and celebrated International Day of People With Disability by networking and collaborating with other local NGOs. Miral Nepal installed the booth and sold the bags and scarves made by trainees with disabilities in the shopping mall or in Christmas market held by a local NGO for vocational training for women. Through this, Miral Nepal showed the potentials of PWDs and delivered the message of the importance and the necessity of ensuring the opportunities for jobs of PWDs. On the other hand, VOICE center also joined the national rally with wheelchairs, initiated by National Federation of Disabled Nepal. Miral Nepal could stand up for the vulnerable people such as women and PWDs along with other local NGOs and celebrated the rights of them on International Day of People With Disability. 

Philippines

Miral Philippines has opened a cafe called HISBEANS Philippines in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, where PWD baristas are making specialty coffee. This is a Social and Solidarity Economy Project, supported by KOICA and in consortium with HISBEANS   ²⁾

※HISBEANS: HISBEANS is the coffee brand by ‘People With Fragrance Inc.’, a social venture business for raising PWDs as specialists and making cultures of working with them.  

HISBEANS Philippines celebrated International Day of People With Disability with its customers for about 10 days from November 25^th to December 4^th. Through the event and campaign, the customers became to be aware of the International Day of People With Disabilities and of the fact that the HISBEANS Philippines is where people with and without disabilities are working together in harmony. About 400 customers actively participated in the event by leaving the messages on the sticky notes, such as ‘Disability is just the difference’,  ‘We are all equal before God no matter what our differences are’, or ‘Keep up your good works!’  Through this participatory event, the customers could not only find the possibility of baristas with disabilities but also be part of the celebration as one.  

 

Cote D’ivoire  

Miral Cote D’ivoire has been running a child sponsorship program in Port-Bouet in Cote D’ivoire.

Miral Cote D’ivoire celebrated International Day of People With Disability by holding the Disability Inclusive Concert in Belle Ville School in Abidjan. About 500 community people and students, both those who are with and without disabilities, enjoyed the performances and the banquet. While students from Belle Ville School performed Taekwondo (Korean Marshal Arts), musical instruments, dances, and choirs, there was also a doctor’s session that the participants could learn about basic knowledge about disability and PWDs. As it became a community event where community people could be aware of the rights of children with disabilities to be educated and to be included in the society, the whole community could remember and celebrate the International Day of People With Disabilities together.  

Around the world, there are still many children who can’t go to school and many people who can’t get jobs because of their disabilities.  It is very important to raise the awareness of the community about disability for anyone with disability can enjoy their rights and have equal opportunities when their differences are accepted, and they are respected just as they are. Miral Welfare Foundation will keep standing up for the people with disabilities that no one would be left behind and striving for their social inclusion.  

Written by Shinyoung Kim

Pictures by Miral Malawi, Kenya, Nepal, Philippines, and Cote D'ivoir