The phrase “Leave the scars you were born with” always challenges and motivates yourself to do something new. My mother, brother and my physical disability encouraged me from childhood to do something for my community. Since 2013, I started walking in Savar with the disabled people as a volunteer of various voluntary organizations. Later, we realized that the sustainable development of disabled people is not possible in the way of thinking and working. We need to start doing actionable, meaningful and productive work. In 2015, some people decided the name of the organization “Center for Rights and Development of Persons with Disabilities-CRDD”. The United Nations provides charters for the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities. Bangladesh signed the Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that it will work for the rights of persons with disabilities. That is, after the signing in 2008, rights-based work began. And later the Government of Bangladesh published the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013 in gazette form. So we are named based on the activities of “CRDD”.
“Centre for Rights and Development of Persons with Disabilities-CRDD” officially launched on February 10, 2016. We first started working in Savar by raising private funds on health and rehabilitation. The main task was to make people with disabilities aware by providing proper counseling and providing therapy services. We have provided 25 thousand services to about 10 thousand patients in the last 5 years. Later we started income generating activities with disabled women. Then some elder brothers cooperated with funds. The reason we have not been able to do that for a long time is because of the inefficient and unprofessional behavior of women with disabilities. In 2017 and 2018 we went to book fairs with disabled students. We work to develop self-development and become an asset by inculcating the love of education among young students. In 2019, provided physiotherapy and occupational therapy to 300 children in 6 special needs schools in 6 days in Jhinadah district and made parents aware about disabilities.
CRDD has done most of its work through social media since its inception. In 2020 we joined the global platform Bangladesh, which is ActionAid’s youth hub. Together with 5 youth voluntary organizations we created a platform “Ensuring Inclusive Environment for All”. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, our activities have started online. We provide awareness posts for people with disabilities, doctors, physiotherapy and mental health counseling through hotlines, and provide emergency food services through advocacy to around 1,000 families of people with disabilities in Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Savar, Barisal and Kushtia. We provide free service to 100 families through hotline service.
CRDD started their regular training program with “Skilled Entrepreneur Training”. Inclusion encourages people to participate in the country’s economy by starting training and becoming entrepreneurs. We provide technical assistance to 8 out of 25 people in the first training to start online business. Later, by continuing this training, 35 out of 100 disabled people are involved in making entrepreneurs. Trainees from Chittagong, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Barisal and Sylhet divisions participated as the training was conducted online.
We conduct online CV, cover letter and interview skills, soft skills and life skills “I am skilled” programs. I provide training for disabled people and their needs including digital marketing and video editing. We provide online training to 200 disabled students. We want to play a role in improving the quality of life by ensuring proper use of online. Our main task is to turn disabled people into assets by imparting various trainings to make them skilled.
“If we don’t wake up mother, how will it be morning!?” Through campaigns online and offline we are working to create awareness about the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013 and encourage youth to change their attitudes.
CRDD not only provides training, health care and emergency food services. We do 11 episodes of the Facebook Live show “Kew Dabaya Rahta Naa Naa” to change society’s attitude towards people with disabilities. Through which we work for change by highlighting the life stories of 11 disabled men and women.
We want to hold the hands of young people in the society and work with the spirit of Bangabandhu for revolutionary change. No one will be left behind in the change, everyone will participate in the development of the country’s economy. A free and golden Bangladesh will be established by realizing one’s rights.
