Disability Resource Centre: (DRC)

In Pakistan, it is estimated that there are about 12.5 million persons with disabilities (PWDs) (WHO: 1984), and

most of them live below the poverty line. The earthquake in 2005 left many more with severe disabilities. Though efforts have been made to collect data on disability in the affected areas, not much has been done for the rehabilitation of disabled at the district level.

Funded by the Leonard Cheshire Disability for two years, and recently through a private donor, CAMP has been running a disability programme in Mansehra district. This operates from a Resource Centre in Mansehra city, which acts as a focal point for the coordination of disability services in the district and the dissemination of information relating to those services PWDs, their care givers and the wider community.

The multidisciplinary team also provides extensive outreach services: awareness raising workshops and collaboration with local schools to promote inclusive education for children with disabilities; household surveys to identify children and adults with disabilities; physical rehabilitation programmes, together with relevant training for PWDs and their carers; referral of the PWDs to other agencies providing specialist services in the area (including those fitting prosthetic and orthotic devices); and the provision of mobility aids to the PWDs (walking sticks, crutches and wheelchairs).

Until December 2009, 40 community volunteers and more than 4000 care givers were trained in Community Based Rehabilitation services and 100,000 people have been sensitized. Teachers and staff of about 25 schools (males and females) were sensitized for inclusive education in 20 villages. 13 PWDs have been supported by the Economic Empowerment programme and they are successfully working. The Project has also provided 78 adaptive devices and a number of public awareness campaigns have been organized. Moreover, Persons with Disabilities are being facilitated to get special computerized identity cards.