The concept of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) was proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the late 1970s to increase the coverage of rehabilitation services for disabled persons. Initially it focused on medical and functional aspects of rehabilitation needs. Soon afterwards

other agencies of the United Nations, United Nations Organization for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Development (UNESCO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) proposed similar approaches for dealing with the educational and occupational aspects of rehabilitation.

Implementations of field activities based on this approach, which values existing resources, skills and capacities in the families and communities.

Gradually it became clear that, for CBR to be effective, disabled persons require a multi sectoral approach that covers all aspects of life. It was also evident that these activities related to medical, social, psychological, educational and occupational aspects have limited impact on the lives of

persons with disabilities and their families unless attitudes change in the communities, unless there are effective national policies and laws which guarantee equal opportunities to all citizens, and unless persons with disability themselves have the possibility of making choices and are empowered to take decisions concerning their own lives.

We at ARPD show the communities how to use existing resources for the rehabilitation of physically disabled. We follow the multi-sectoral approach by creating medical, social, psychological, educational and occupational facilities to the disabled. We provide them with equipment, training and necessary pecuniary means for the basic setup and them we make sure their proper function by on field inspections.

GOAL:

HUMAN RIGHTS ~ SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ~ POVERTY REDUCTION

In our Low-Cost Orthopedic workshop we make artificial limbs, mainly lower limbs.

Appliances - We make

• Calipers

• Corsets

• Leather jackets

• Walking frames

• Elbow crutches

• Simple crutches

• Corner chairs.

Education is the most important rehabilitator, as it gives the physically disabled a sense of confidence and a sense of equally or even superiority from the others. We believe in Inclusive Education which means, education for all. We have a Montessori in which we educate not only the physically disabled but also those poor children who can't afford to be admitted in public schools.

The School at RCPD is working well from class I to V with a total of at least 100 students, Disabled young women attend adult literacy classes. We are facing the problem of shortage of classrooms. Due to this very reason, classes are held in the open and we cannot increase the number of students.

We have created a small playing area for the kids as well but surely it can't be a replacement to a playing ground. We are doing our bid to ensure that no physically disabled remain illiterate.

Under the Power wing, we empower women by teaching them the skills that can make them financially independent and help them rehabilitate by making them a productive person at home for the family and generally for the community.

Skills are provided to women with disabilities in the following trades (The skill empowers a disabled person to get a job or run own business.)

•  Dress Making                                             

• Tailoring and Embroidery

• Carpet Weaving

• Machine and Hand Knitting

• Beauty Clinic

• Cooking 

Tool skills are provided to needy persons after successful completion of training.

POPOWER Canteen was Inaugurated at RCPD in 2006  >

Ø     <  Display / Sale of products of RCPD POWER Group at the Exhibition arranged at Margala Hotel, Islamabad by SACHET (Society for the Advancement of Community, Health, Education & Training) in 2006. [There was a nation-wide participation of NGOs in the Exhibition)

Our rural women need to be educated on variety of subjects like primary health care, prevention of childhood disabilities, disability related awareness and much more. We try to educate our rural women by conducting seminars in different parts of the country, specially the rural areas of NWFP.