Skills Training of 100 Persons with Disabilities

When COVID-19 lockdowns had brought a halt to access and opportunities of financial sustenance for the global population and especially for people with disabilities, NOWPDP set out to empower 100 people with disabilities within 100 days through 100Days100Lives campaign. This campaign gave individuals and institutions an opportunity to take up the mantle of disability inclusion by creating jobs and internships. A lot of trainees that you supported through this campaign were part of this project.

At first, it seemed impossible to achieve it, as we had negotiated the strenuous passage of employment for empowerment, however, with the support of mentors investing themselves entirely in the cause of changing 100 lives within 100 days, with solidarity and joint force, we have finally done it!

It is with great joy that we announce the successful closing of NOWPDP's campaign 100Days100Lives. We have successfully locked 113 employment/internship/self-employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the period of this campaign.

I am delighted to inform that a lot of candidates that you supported have got jobs and hope for a better future. These 113 trainees were funded through this online campaign and other private and corporate donors. Please continue to support this campaign with your donations, so more lives can be transformed.

Your donation helped people like Maryam, Babar, Shabia, Saleem & more

Maryam got a job at HRSG

"I wasn't born blind. There's a phase in my life where I could still see. Losing my sight and going through this change has been the hardest because your whole worldview changes. For me, it was the hardest to continue my education. I honestly didn't have any idea how I could cope. I had to change my school but I still continued my education. I completed my MBA a while back. I am grateful to NOWPDP for the computer operations and call center course, and helping me getting placed at Pakistan’s leading HR consultancy firm, HRSG.”

- Maryam

Babar got a job at Abu Dawood

“I have always wanted to work at a place that sees me for my work and not my disability. And, I just got a job and I am optimistic that I will be treated well here. Thank you to NOWPDP and the 100 Days 100 Lives Campaign for supporting me throughout!"

- Babar

Shabia got a Government Job

“Much like other late blind people I too lost my eyesight while I was completing my matric. Watching yourself go blind is a very scary feeling, I was helpless and I felt lost, the world around me changed completely and it felt as though my life is over. However, with time I came across a whole community of people just like me and saw they're striving for a normal life as well, that gave me confidence and I continued with my education and I am really proud of myself for having completed my Masters and acquiring extra skill sets so that I can build a stable life for myself and my family.”

- Shabia

Saleem got a job at HRSG

“I lost my job of 30 years owing to my visual disability. I was shattered and didn’t know how to move forward as I had given everything to my work. But alas, discrimination was rampant. After mustering courage and wanting to move on ahead for my wife and daughter, I enrolled in NOWPDP for a call center course. After successfully graduating from the training and a series of interviews, I finally got a wonderful job at a renowned company.”

- Saleem

With Coronavirus cases under control in Pakistan, and the country opening up for routine activities, NOWPDP also resumed its training center after assessing the situation and making strict rules to ensure the safety and comfort of trainees, trainers, and staff.

Under the COVID-19 protocols of mouth-covering and social distancing, NOWPDP initiated its in-person training by organizing a Refresher Course for the individuals who were trained virtually.

Moreover, NOWPDP restarted its Rickshaw Training for people with physical disabilities. Thus, allowing them to learn to drive a retrofitted rickshaw and earn livelihood on their own terms. Out of the several trainees, 3 have also been employed by NOWPDP’s social enterprise initiative as loader drivers.

NOWPDP has also initiated the Screen-printing training and is in the process of creating opportunities of employment for individuals with disabilities who will be completing their trainings after honing their artistic skills by learning the art of screen-printing.

Mobile repair trainings have also resumed. This particular training required mandatory in-person presence because of the nature of the task. Therefore, the resumption came as a blessing for those people with disabilities who wanted to acquire this skill and establish their own small mobile-related businesses or work at a local shop as mobile repair technicians.

The new batch of Computer Operator training for Deaf individuals has also been inducted and classes have started. Whereas, the batch of the same training for people with physical disabilities will be starting soon.

NOWPDP is also introducing a new trade in collaboration with Pakistan’s leading textile firm. The trade is called Dry Processing and the trainings are starting soon at NOWPDP’s premises. The collaboration with the textile firm will ensure that the trained individuals are placed at jobs in their factory.

To complement various training taking place at NOWPDP’s Training Center, and to ensure that the trained individuals achieve their goal of employment, and thus, economic empowerment, the Employment team of NOWPDP – Yaqeeen – has initiated a campaign titled 100Days100Lives. The goal of this campaign to place 100 individuals at a job by the end of 2020. With this campaign, we are aiming to create an environment of inclusiveness at workplaces and are hoping to lay the foundation for thousands of jobs for our trainees and the entire community of people with disabilities living in Pakistan.

* Necessary permission has been taken from the beneficiaries for using their pictures for this report.