In the next few days, we will reflect on the speeches made at KIU on the 6th of June, 2023. Some key points will be taken out and edited.
Dear all, it is an honor to give you this speech. The main points that we are discussing today will be of
- Disability Awareness –Raising
2. Understanding each other for cooperation and collaboration
3. Introducing Gilgit Baltistan Goodwill Movement’s vision.
Like many other disabled-related organizations, the vision of GBGM is for Persons with Disabilities to work for themselves and establish, manage and lead their organizations. Of course, through our efforts we want GB society to realize that they have a responsibility to provide an enabling environment to PWDs through encouraging and supporting them in all possible ways.
Before GBGM, I had hands-on experience working for and with disability-related causes. I founded the First Disabled Students Network in my former college, the City of Glasgow College https://www.citysa.co.uk/get-involved/sports-societies/society/dsn-test/. I am also a member of the Glasgow Disability Alliance https//gda.scot. I know what it is like being in a disabled-led organization.
While my parents are from the region, it was not until when I supported disabled-related causes in GB that this idea of GBGM was designed as an organization. I already started some social media awareness under this name back in August 2019. The GBGM GB team is made up of mostly educated disabled students who have not been employed due to their disability.
Like any professional organization GBGM first – 1. Collected data and liaised with local disabled persons organizations. This was done by meeting the local and relevant organizations that were working for persons with disablities and at the same time visiting the families of PWDs. 2. GBGM reached out to the neediest people with disablities in areas like Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Puniyal and Astore. This was at the same time as Registration where Persons with Disablities were themselves able to register an organization by visiting government offices and etc.
Our long-term project is working on the skills development of persons with disabilities in Gilgit City. I believe that research has proven that such training improves the employability skills of PWDs. We train PWDs in the following skills IT, Music, LED Bulb Making, etc but due to a lack of funds, we are not able to support a bigger cohort.
As I have been brought up in Glasgow, UK, I want to replicate the Scottish model of disability governance within GB. This will require governmental, individual, and organizational funding. I want to also let people know that in January 2023 on our Islamabad trip, we made links with :
•AKDN/ AKAH
•Hashoo foundation
•PPAF
•STEP
•NAV –Tech
•Reputed Experts in the field
If given more funding, we can professionalize GBGM and hopefully continue expanding our skills development project.
