DAPD 37th anniversary message

Today, Monday October 26, is the 37th Anniversary of the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD. Inc.) The following is a message by the DAPD Board of Directors to mark the occasion.

We address in this presentation, our members, benefactors, associates, social partners and persons with disabilities in general, since you all make up our “Stake-holders.

The advocacy, development work, accomplishments, challenges and progress of DAPD Inc. have been published, highlighted and documented over the years, and in all of this, our mission has remained the same.    That is, “To enhance the inherent dignity and status of Persons with Disabilities.”

On January 1, 2020, we began the implementation of a new five-year programme to be effected up to December 31, 2024. During that cycle, we will be “Pursuing Social Inclusion, Access and Equal Opportunities through advocacy for Persons with Disabilities”, and we intend to     continue building on the gains that we have made in the past.

At the beginning of this year, the Board of Directors included in its Calendar of Activities, the official opening of the auditorium. The construction of this project would have signaled the completion of our    Multi-purpose Development Centre, the establishment of which began in 2001.

In March, all this was put on hold, when the Corona Virus Covid-19 arrived on our shores affecting the lives of all of us.

The official opening of the auditorium would have been taking place today on our Anniversary, and this would have been an elaborate event.  Instead, construction work is only about to begin.

Needless to say, both the Corona Virus and this infra-structural project have affected our normal operations, and we will have to wait for at least another six months or so for the resumption of normal functioning.

The Board of Directors continue to put measures in place to ensure that our organization does not become inactive, in spite of the situation, and its advocacy programmes remain paramount.

We are focusing on acquiring the necessary resources for the implementation of this five-year  programme    and mobilization of financial, assistive aids and devices, equipment, office furniture and appliances, volunteers and supplies are now on the way.  This will ensure our readiness to continue providing the services and activities that are proposed which will redound to the benefit of persons with and without disabilities.

For this current year, some of our benefactors include:

• The Government of Dominica
• Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP)
• Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
• Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF)
• International Tele-Communications Union (ITU)
• National Tele-communications Regulatory Commission (NTRC)
• Dominica Amateur Radio Club Inc.  (DARCI)
• The Maria Holder Memorial Trust
• Clement “Baba” Richards

One of our major fund-raising initiatives over the past fourteen years has been an Annual National Dollar Day. This is now being implemented and anyone desirous of supporting this activity can do so.

Contributions can be made until December 31, 2020.

We will not be available to receive any contributions at our office, nor will we be going around the City of Roseau on Journee Creole, (Friday October 30, 2020) as we usually do.

In this regard, therefore, anyone wishing to contribute can contact the following persons:

Nathalie Murphy:  275-1384

Irma Raymond-Joseph:  225-5053

Earnica Nicky Esprit:  277-7055

Harolda Henry-Riley:  265-8413 or at the office of the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association

We can also be contacted via email at [email protected] and donations can also be made via our Website: http//dapd.weebly.com

We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have contributed to these 37 years and we are happy to have you join us as we commemorate this day.