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Background |
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BERDO
was formed on 17th July, 1991 with the aim of
uplifting the disabled community of Bangladesh. |
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Bangladesh
is a poor and overcrowded country. About 8-10%
of the total population is disabled- approximately
8.5 million people are physically disabled; 1.3
million people are speech and hearing impaired;
almost 2 million people are visually impaired
or blind; and some 1.5 million people are intellectually
impaired. Of this number, approximately 264,000
people are multiply disabled. |
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Disabled
people lack access to medical facilities, education
and employment opportunities. Impoverished, they
are dependent upon their families. Considered
a burden on society by their communities, they
experience harassment and humiliation. |
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As
such, BERDO works to free disabled people from
the darkness, to prove that they are not a burden
to society, and to inspire them to gain education,
access to medical facilities, and employment opportunities.
BERDO’s main aim is to empower the disabled
community of the country. |
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Mission |
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The
mission of the Blind Education and Rehabilitation
Development Organization (BERDO) is to empower
people with disabilities through income generation,
leadership development, education, training and
treatment facilities to become full members of
their community with access to the social mainstream;
to increase public awareness about disability
issues and facilitate partnership between disabled
and non-disabled members of the community; and
to prevent disability through medical treatment. |
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Vision |
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Individuals
with disabilities in Bangladesh will enjoy equal
rights and full access to opportunities in the
community. |
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Programs |
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Staff |
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| Mr.
Saidul Huq, Executive Director and Founder, contracted
typhoid as a child and lost his eye sight at a
young age. As such, he has been exposed to the
many obstacles that face disabled people. Undeterred,
he went on to secure a Masters’ degree in
public administration from Dhaka University and
emerged as a strong and articulate advocate for
the rights of disabled people. He was selected
as an Ashoka fellow in 1994.
Some
32 staff support the operations of BERDO. |
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Partnerships |
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recent years, BERDO has received the financial support
of a number of international entities, including:
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The Canada Fund |
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The
Royal Netherlands Embassy, |
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The
Royal Danish Embassy, |
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The
Embassy of Japan, |
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The
German Embassy, |
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Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Japan,
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Nova
Consultancy Bangladesh (NCB), |
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Cord
aid Netherlands, |
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United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),
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Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), |
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Zonta
International Club (III) -Dhaka-Bangladesh,
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USC
Canada-Bangladesh, |
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Rabobank
Foundation-Netherlands, |
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World Bank Office - Dhaka, |
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OPEC-Austria,
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National
Foundation for the Development of the Disabled
Person (NFDDP). |
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addition, BERDO has enjoyed the support of a number
of corporations working in Bangladesh, including: |
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The
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Limited (HSBC), |
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Dutch
Bangla Bank Ltd., |
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government of Bangladesh has also supported the
work of BERDO, through the following ministries: |
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The
Ministry of Social Welfare, |
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The
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and;
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The
Ministry of Cultural Affairs. |
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| Other
organizations have provided in kind support, including
training and computer donations: |
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Relief
International - Schools Online of USA |
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Save
the Children Fund Australia of Bangladesh |
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CARE
Bangladesh |
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Ashoka Innovators for the Public of Bangladesh |
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Asian
Health Institute of Japan |
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Disabled
Peoples International of Bangladesh |
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Center
for Disability in Development (CDD) of Bangladesh |
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South
Asia Partnership-Bangladesh |
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Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) –Japan |
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| BERDO
also enjoys the partnership of The Advocacy Project,
a Washington, DC, USA-based non-profit organization.
Through this partnership, BERDO hosts a Peace
Fellow each summer who assists with information
production and ICT connectivity. The Advocacy
Project’s Fellows for Peace international
summer program sends experienced graduate students
from leading universities to work with community-based
advocates for human rights and social justice
in different countries.
Please see The Advocacy Project’s webpage
at www.advocacynet.org
for more information.
For
additional information please visit BERDO's partner
page hosted by The Advocacy Project at http://advocacynet.org/page/berdo
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