Under its strategic principle of Human Rights, GRACE has been greatly feeling the need to address the issue of disability in Baltistan. Disabled persons make around 11 % of the total population of Baltistan. This figure is much higher than the global and national ratio. This can be extrapolated due to malnutrition, lack of care for pregnant mother, poor understanding and knowledge about various diseases giving rise to disability by birth. Apart from this, there are people who become disabled because of mining that is done through blasting and those who have been affected by shelling across the border. The last category is common among internally displaced populations. Among the unnatural causes of large number of disabled people in the region, one of the major reasons is the lack of access to rehabilitation information and facilities which means a person who is affected is destined to live as PWD throughout his/her life. Communities take it for granted as part of their mythic values that interprets the misery of disability ordained from God.

GRACE has initiated a vigorous process of developing its knowledge and information about the Persons with Disabilities with the overall objective of designing meaningful and sustainable program for their rehabilitation and empowerment. Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are the most vulnerable and marginalized segment of this remote society. Since March 2007, GRACE initiated developing links with PWDs in Skardu and launched certain activities to collect data and information about the nature of disabilities and their contact details, through GRACE Volunteers. It has organized two meetings with the PWDs to raise awareness and motivation to participate in the programs for their rehabilitation.

In the meeting, their parents suggested to establish a special education school or establish a disability centre in the city from where information should be disseminated to all PWDs regarding their rights, referral services and rehabilitation facilities. They requested GRACE Association to establish a centre equipped with a computer and other training programs. After these meetings, GRACE Board of Directors had a meeting and realized that special education is a broader issue for which GRACE is not capable to meet all its needs in the long run. However, it was decided that GRACE will establish a Disability Information Resource Centre (DIRC) at Skardu that would work to promote inclusive education, operationalize an outreach program for enhancing the access of disable persons to rehabilitation facilities and would implement their skill building program for employment.

To realize this idea three project proposals have been designed in consultation with PWDs, care-givers and resource organizations. Projects were developed with the technical assistance of online volunteers. The project proposal on “Inclusive Education in Skardu” has been submitted to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education in Islamabad that is likely to provide funding.

The second project, “Employability skills development center”, has been submitted to Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) International for seeking funding. A small project was developed on “Enabling People with Disabilities to participate in the Society”. In this regard links were developed with many online volunteers to get their support and collaborations in developing project documents and resources.

A request has been sent to Association for Development of Pakistan (USA). This opportunity was explored by GRACE’s online volunteer Ms. Miriam Meraso of Italy. This center would also provide information about various local and national opportunities to enhance the skills of PWDs besides launching selecting training for their employment to become a dignified member of the society by self-dependence.

Apart from the above planning and links development activities, GRACE has carried out a survey of PwDs in Skardu. Following are the main findings of the survey:

• There is a disability issue in each one of 5 houses surveyed.

• In Skardu, children and people are found with diseases, mostly polio, hemiplegia, epilepsy, cere bral palsy, foot club, flat foot, hynocephalus, mod erate quadriplegia (stroke), Qulin Plegia, polymyo- sitis, burn cases, left or right hemiplegia, deaf ness, visual impairment, visually challenged and hearing impairment, severe chronic muscular dystrophy, etc.

• The majority of the disabled are found in the fami- lies belonging to poorest of the poor.

• One in 40 disabled children attend schools but drop out is very high and they leave schools just after two or three grades due to economical problems.

• Most of the PWD remain unmarried; in very excep tional cases they are married. The ration of unmar ried female PwDs is higher than the male PwDs.

• Many of the PwDs are willing to learn some skill but some of them look frustrated and desperate by their lives.

• Most PwDs and their care-givers require financial assistance to meet their daily needs.

• Most of the polio affected and paralyzed PWDs can move with a wheel chair. Some of them can be rehabilitated with orthosis and prosthesis but due to lack of information and resources they are living with vulnerable conditions.

• Many children with disabilities avoid attending school due to a sense of shame and re-exclusion. There is no special school for mainstreaming them back into education.

• It is highly likely that the skills developed by the PWDs who are able to attend training centers will change their lives and make them respectable members of their community.

GRACE is endeavoring to provide inclusive education, accessible environment through assistive devices and skill training as long-term livelihood support solution for the most deserving PwDs.

During 2007 GRACE successfully provided support to the following children and persons with disabilities for their rehabilitation and mainstreaming.

GRACE Association is determined to achieve rehabilitation, development and empowerment of the disabled person’s objectives through advocacy, research, networking, partnership building and device delivery.