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A Voice For the Voiceless

The Advocacy Project helps marginalized communities to tell their story, claim their rights and produce social change. We recruit graduate students to volunteer as Peace Fellows with partners.

The Impact of Service "Speaking with locals and living in a country is the best way to learn about the real lives of citizens, not just the stories in the mainstream media. I will be more critical of what I read as a result of this experience. I also feel even more grateful for my education, and I feel a stronger responsibility to assist others who do not have resources or access to opportunities in their communities." Maria Skouras (New York University) volunteered in 2011 as a Peace Fellow for eHomemakers in Malaysia. For more 2011 feedback click here.

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Partners > Asia > The Blind Educati...

The Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization

BERDO
Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization

Issue: Disability Rights
Region: Asia
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh




Background
BERDO was formed in 1991 with a goal of empowering the disabled community of Bangladesh, a poor and overcrowded country where approximately 8-10% of the population is disabled.  An estimated 8.5 million people are physically disabled; 1.3 million are speech and hearing impaired; almost 2 million are visually impaired or blind; and approximately 1.5 million people are intellectually impaired.

Lacking access to education, employment and medical facilities, disabled people are dependent upon their families and are considered a burden on society by their communities.

To address the harassment and humiliation which people face, BERDO works to empower the disabled community and uplift its members towards full participation in society.

Telling The Story

Photographs:

Take a look at Peace Fellow Amanda Lasik's Flickr photos

Videos:

Watch AP's playlist about BERDO

Peace Fellow Blogs:

2012: Adam Kruse
2011: Amanda's Lasik (UC San Diego)
2009: Abhilash's Medhi (London School of Economics and Political Science)
2008: Danita Topcagic (University of Denver)
2007:  Caitlin Burnett (American University)


BERDO's Work

Campaigns:

• BERDO has a talking library that produces and disseminates “talking books” for students and individuals with visual impairments.

• The organization's medical center provides accessible medical services to prevent or manage disabilities.

• BERDO awards scholarships to support the educational endeavors of students with disabilities.

• By building relationships with business and government institutions, BERDO is able to find job placement for persons with disabilities. 

• BERDO provides Braille education to visually impaired children through their School of Happy World .

• They help in the development of computer skills for visually impaired persons through their School of Information and Technology for the Visually Impaired.

• BERDO's Community-Based Rehabilitation program facilitates dialogue between individuals with disabilities and non-disabled persons and provides training to people with disabilities, family members, teachers, and community leaders.

• BERDO runs a microcredit program with loans that range from $50 to $200 that are usually invested in purchasing a cow, a rickshaw or a community store.  The repayment rate of disabled borrowers is 98 percent.

• In partnership with Bangladesh’s Center for Disability in Development (CDD), BERDO offers a program of Promotion of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Bangladesh (PHRPDB) to empower people through the formation of self-help groups.

• In addition, BERDO hopes to expand their activities to include the printing of Braille books and a vocational training center.

Donate to BERDO
Support Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization:

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Contact BERDO
Visit the Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization website

Mailing Address:
3/1, Road # 11,
Rupnagar, Section # 5
Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Tel : 0088-02- 8060703
         0088-02- 9009451
Res:  0088-02- 8058317
Fax : 0088-02-9003786
Email: support@berdo-bd.org
       or: edberdo@berdo-bd.org

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