Latest news with #PWDs
Business Recorder
14 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Murad distributes Rs400m to empower PWDs
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government's commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowered society by announcing Rs 400 million in financial assistance for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Addressing a cheque distribution event, organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), at the CM's office, Shah emphasised the importance of sustainable partnerships, access to assistive technologies, inclusive education, and equal employment opportunities as central priorities of the provincial government. Provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, Riaz Shah Sheerazi, Zia Lanjar, Ali Hassan Zardari, Shahid Thahim, Muhammad Ali Malkani, Senator Waqar Mehdi, and Special Assistants Syed Qasim Naveed and Sarfaraz Rajar, were also present. The Chief Minister distributed cheques to 56 partner organisations, part of a Rs 400 million financial assistance package aimed at improving the lives of PWDs, with the funds already transferred to recipients' accounts. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
FBL honoured for championing disability-inclusive banking
KARACHI: Faysal Bank Limited (FBL), one of Pakistan's leading Islamic banks, has been recognised for its commitment to inclusion and accessibility at the Pakistan PWDs Finclusion Awards 2025. The Bank received the award for 'Most Disability-Friendly Branch Network' and was also named Runner-Up for 'Excellence in Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).' The awards ceremony, held in Karachi, was organised by Determined Pakistan and was inspired by the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) Policy on Financial Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. These awards reflect Faysal Bank's steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) and its purpose-driven approach to banking. Commenting on the recognition, Yousaf Hussain, President & CEO of Faysal Bank, stated: 'At Faysal Bank, we believe that meaningful growth is only possible when it is inclusive, accessible and rooted in compassion. Our vision is to build a banking system that reflects the diversity of our nation and leaves no one behind. These recognitions reaffirm our commitment to embedding equity into our service, our spaces, and our culture.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Malaysia records 751,000 registered PWDs, with awareness issues behind registration gap
KUCHING: A lack of public awareness has been blamed for the gap between the number of registered persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Malaysia and actual estimates, with only 751,421 people officially recorded as of last year. Sarawak's Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the registration gap reflects both a lack of awareness about the benefits available to PWDs and lingering stigma within communities and families. "The actual number is believed to exceed one million, based on World Health Organisation estimates that roughly 12 per cent of a given population is likely to be disabled," she said at the launch of a PWD registration drive here today. In Sarawak, a total of 56,184 PWDs have been registered via the PWD Information System (SMOKU) as of May 31 this year. Fatimah said many families remain unaware of the importance of registering children or relatives with disabilities, particularly when it comes to early intervention and access to services. Learning disabilities accounted for the highest number of cases in Sarawak at 22,511, followed by physical (16,195), mental (5,943), vision (5,918), hearing (3,167), and others, including speech impairments and miscellaneous categories. She said societal attitudes also played a role in the under-registration, saying some families were reluctant to come forward due to shame or fear of being seen as burdensome. "The view that PWDs cannot be independent discourages families from registering them. "But registration is essential — it's the gateway to assistance, services, and policies designed to support them." Fatimah said accurate statistics would enable the government to better tailor programmes to meet specific needs. She also highlighted the importance of early childhood screening and intervention, particularly for learning disabilities. As of April 2025, 1,245 children under the age of six had been registered as PWDs in Sarawak, 77 per cent of whom were diagnosed with learning difficulties. She said that while limited access to specialists remained a challenge, efforts were underway to train more personnel through collaborations with both local and international agencies. "The lack of expertise has not stopped us from continuing to provide services to children with special needs," she said. The ministry will continue to prioritise early intervention, public outreach and education to close the registration gap nationwide.
GMA Network
17-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos wants PWDs to have safe access to transportation
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to ensure that persons with disabilities have safe access to public transport. ''Ang instruction nga ng Pangulo tulad ng nasabi ko kanina, siguraduhin na may safe na public transport at accessible na public transport para sa ating mga kababayan na may kapansanan,'' DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a Palace press briefing. (The President gave an instruction for the DSWD to ensure safe and accessible public transport for PWDs.) Gatchalian earlier inspected three electric buses intended for persons with disabilities at the DSWD Central Office. The provision of electric vehicles is under the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program's (SLP) Persons with Disabilities – Electric Transportation Service (PWD-ETS) Project. The PWD-ETS is a pilot project that aims to provide livelihood grants to persons with disabilities in SLPAs to purchase electric vehicles that are disability-friendly. The said project will enable the beneficiaries to earn income while helping other persons with disabilities to safely access modes of transportation. Each SLPA is composed of 115 members who are all persons with disabilities from 10 local government units in Metro Manila. Gatchalian said the DSWD would work with the Department of Transportation to scale up this measure. ''The goal talaga is palawakin, palawigin, paramihin not just in Metro Manila but also in the other Metro areas para mas magkaroon ng accessible at safe na space para sa ating mga people with disability,'' he said. (The goal is to widen and extend this not just in Metro Manila but also in the other metro areas to provide accessible and safe space for PWDs.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Business Times
15-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
SIM-Ressec diploma helps social enterprise founders create lasting impact
[SINGAPORE] When Yeo Hiok Keat first founded his social enterprise, Flour Power, in 2020, the process was not as smooth as he had envisioned. 'We not only faced low brand awareness but also struggled with how to create meaningful daily engagement for persons with disabilities (PWDs) who remain outside traditional employment,' the co-founder and chief executive recalled. Flour Power equips PWDs with culinary skills and helps them access employment opportunities. But the 'initial lack of brand awareness meant many caregivers and corporates were unsure about our capacity to deliver high-quality bakes and meaningful training', Yeo said. 'Balancing operational costs with our commitment to adaptive processes for PWDs required continuous learning and resourcefulness,' he added. He also observed a 'significant engagement gap' among the PWDs during those early days – many of them lacked a routine or sense of purpose. He decided to take up a specialist diploma in social entrepreneurship at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), under the Dr Richard K M Eu-SIM Social Entrepreneurship Centre, or Ressec. The six-month part-time programme concluded in December 2024. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up 'The specialist diploma equipped me with essential strategic planning, financial management, design-thinking and marketing skills, which enabled me to formalise Flour Power's revenue streams – such as our customised corporate cookie orders – into sustainable models,' Yeo said. Flour Power runs several programmes. Through Bake@FP, PWDs and able-bodied individuals work together to create baked goods. Learn@FP offers culinary and non-culinary workshops that accommodate varied learning styles and abilities, while Event@FP hosts workshops for corporates and mental wellness sessions. Flour Power equips PWDs with culinary skills and helps them access employment opportunities PHOTO: FLOUR POWER 'By integrating ableism awareness and adaptive practices into every programme, Flour Power not only cultivates technical competencies but also nurtures empathy, respect and true inclusion across ability lines,' Yeo said. He added that the SIM-Ressec programme helped him apply design-thinking methodologies to refine workshop experiences. The social enterprise is currently developing a social franchising programme which will allow beneficiaries to run their own bakery outlet. Refining strategies and business models Another entrepreneur that tapped the diploma is Brandon Ong, the co-founder of HeartBid, a digital fundraising platform that also conducts auctions. Brandon Ong, co-founder of HeartBid, credits the SIM-Ressec diploma with helping him clinch a social enterprise grant. PHOTO: HEARTBID After launching in 2021 during the pandemic, the platform began facing challenges as many organisations returned to in-person fundraising, said Ong. He wondered if HeartBid would remain relevant, but the social entrepreneurship programme helped him reframe the business model. This is because it helped him adopt a design-thinking approach to better understand charities. 'We mapped out our value proposition and clarified our impact pathways. One insight was the potential to work more closely with social enterprises and corporate sponsors – connecting them with charities to contribute auction items or experience.' Ong credits the diploma with helping him strengthen his proposal to receive a S$50,000 grant from the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise, which HeartBid will use to scale its efforts. Liu Xin, a counsellor and senior manager at Jolly Companion, also completed the SIM-Ressec diploma. The social enterprise enhances the well-being of seniors through companionship and active ageing initiatives, such as mental health talks, cognitively stimulating games, and home-based holistic assessments. She said: 'Ressec provided Jolly Companion with the analytical tools, brand discipline and collaborative network we needed to move from a neighbourhood initiative towards a scalable, citywide platform.' The social enterprise will soon launch Reprints, an intergenerational reading programme to improve older adults' cognitive function through storytelling with children. It is also working with deep-tech startups to tailor products for seniors. Dr Maylyn Tan, Ressec programme leader and SIM Global Education assistant dean and head of faculty talent, said the diploma aims to help entrepreneurs create lasting social impact. 'By equipping them with critical skills – from opportunity identification to problem-solving, business modelling and stakeholder management – our goal is to nurture changemakers who consider the root causes of social issues and address them by designing solutions that are impactful, scalable and sustainable,' she said. Beyond the diploma, SIM also helps connect the entrepreneurs to its broader network of alumni and corporate partners, and funds internships for students to join these social enterprises. Applications for the next intake of the SIM-Ressec diploma are open until Jun 15. Likewise, some Singapore Polytechnic students have also utilised diploma programmes to enhance their skills for their own startups. For example, Alicia Hong created Digi-Up, an initiative that teaches digital literacy to seniors through gamification. She completed a diploma in media, arts and design, and the design-thinking skills she learnt helped her craft senior-centric solutions. Similarly, Mohamed Ilzymanshah Kamarudin founded an app called @Messenger to enable non-verbal individuals to communicate through means such as text messaging. 'My diploma in media, arts and design (experience and product design) helped me study existing solutions to alternative communication methods for non-verbal individuals. It also helped me structure my research to derive relevant user feedback that my team and I innovated upon to create @Messenger,' he said.
