'Enable the disabled' National program to make Sri Lanka a disabled friendly nation

THE Management Club, operating under the auspices of The Chartered Management Institute - UK, Sri Lanka Branch initiated a national programme under its arm of Corporate Social Responsibility in the April 2004 - to make Sri Lanka a disabled friendly nation by creating awareness of the plight of the disabled, now amounting to over 1.7 million citizens of Sri Lanka and to facilitate the provision of equal opportunities for the disabled.

Enable the Disabled, or ETD as it is popularly known is partnered not only by the members of corproate entities, but also by the Government, the NGO and INGO sectors and concerned and well meaning public and private sector individuals and organisations.

Enable the Disabled will, in the next few years be networking locally and internationally to create an environment of empathy, support and awareness through religious leaders, educational institutions and policy/decision makers to breakthrough what is sometimes thought of as "karma" by shifting the emphasis away from the disability and more to the person.

It would to bring in new technology to improve the quality of life of the disabled and give disabled persons the opportunity to be what they could be and encourage them to overcome their disability. ETD's program envisages disabled friendly public places and offices and a disabled friendly infrastructure hand in hand with its awareness program.

Initial programs centred on projects to support small scale businesses run by disabled persons to improve themselves and make contact with trading organizations where they could dispose of their products and also encouraged new entrepreneurs.

Many fund raising activities were organized, notably hosting of a band of young disabled musicians from Switzerland for a musical program titled "Eben Hezel" - living proof of victory over handicap and many other such programmes.

In February 2005, at an Extraordinary General Meeting of The Management Club, Enable the Disabled was proclaimed a stand-alone identifiable entity with its own Constitution, By-Laws, and Board of Directors which would be overseen by the Board of Management of The Management Club with the long- term objective of being facilitator of making Sri Lanka a Disabled Friendly Nation.

The UN General Assembly proclaimed by Resolution, December 3 of every year as the International Day of the Disabled.

To coincide with this, ETD sponsored an Achievers Awards ceremony - the ETD NATIONAL DIRIJAYA AWARDS - 2004 in December 2004, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, where people with disabilities who have made exceptional achievements and contributions in the field of Entrepreneurship, Academic, Professional, Sports, Creative and Performing Arts were feted at a grand ceremony.

Two additional awards of a first time were for Distinguished Services to the Disabled Community by a disabled, and Most Disabled Friendly Employer.

The Awards Ceremony, graced by Mahinda Rajapakse, then Prime Minister, as Chief Guest brought national awareness and understanding of disability issues and the capabilities, potential and strength of people with disabilities throughout Sri Lanka.

On January 31 2006 too ETD will host the second ETD National Dirijaya Awards 2005 in Colombo. A special feature would be the Junior Awards where children under the age of 12 who have excelled in sports, academic and music/performing arts would be recognised. President Mahinda Rajapakse will be the chief guest.