Members of the Disabled People’s Network (DPN) organisation left State House on Thursday satisfied after they sought an audience with President Bharrat Jagdeo for support for their organised activities. The DPN, with a presence in Regions Two, Four, Five, Six and Seven, was established to promote the integration of differently-abled persons through advocacy programmes such as awareness, skills training, and income generating activities.
Some members however, face difficulties in bearing the transportation cost to attend these organized activities, while others are in dire need of better congregational venues.
President of the DPN in Region Five, Mark Archibald, told the Government Information Agency (GINA), after the meeting, that President Jagdeo promised to assist in the accommodation necessities and also pledged a yearly subvention for transportation purposes.
The DPN, within the last two years, began strengthening its role to the extent that it is rapidly becoming a disability movement in Guyana.
Supporter Aart Loman, of the Netherlands, who is serving as a Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) officer, told GINA that the network is open to every person with a disability.
In February this year, the DPN in Region Six embarked on a special computer training programme referred to as ‘Jaws’, which was installed specially for the visually impaired.
The course ran for three months in the New Amsterdam Special Needs School (NASNS) and provided opportunities for the students to prepare and print documents using Microsoft Word. (GINA)