NOWPDP, Yaqeeen

Rozgar

Employement

Persons with disabilities have traditionally had a more difficult time getting employment. Moreover, with COVID-19 adversely affecting the dynamics of employment for everybody, persons with disabilities have fallen even further behind.

NOWPDP has a two-pronged strategy for economic empowerment;

Recruitment of Persons with Disabilities:

This involves the career development of persons with disabilities through their outreach and employment.

Capacity Building of Organizations:

This revolves around the capacity building of all organizations to include persons with disabilities as employees and consumers both. This includes infrastructural audits, employee sensitization, and role mapping for persons with disabilities

I was asked to leave the company where I gave my 20 years just because I lost my eyesight. For the last 5 years, I have given many interviews and the worst part was the moment when I had to face my little daughter every time I came back home. She would always ask, Papa, how was your interview. Did they pass or fail you? In 2019, I got to know about NOWPDP and quickly enrolled in their Call Center Course. This was the first time I got to know that persons with visual disabilities can use computers. I was sure, my life is going to change.
After the completion of the training, it was again a testing time because I hardly heard back from the organizations where I gave interviews. When I got a call for a second interview at HRSG after a long wait I was much tensed. More than anything, I was thinking what I will say to my daughter if this becomes another disappointment but things changed, and I was offered a job on the spot. I saw my designation and my salary and I couldn’t control my tears; for three days straight, I had my offer letter with me and it felt like a dream. More than anything, I had an answer to the question of my little daughter that they have passed your father in the test.
SALEEM KHERAJ
VISUAL DISABILITY | NOWPDP TRAINEE

Khudmukhtari

Self Employment & other Initiatives

NOWPDP’s work has greatly relied on the need for innovation and new interventions for the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities and it has shown great transformations. These other initiatives can help bolster the chances of employment for them.

The Rickshaw Project is one of the oldest projects of NOWPDP and a main facet of this program apart from other entrepreneurial initiatives. Each rickshaw is retrofitted and given to trained drivers with disabilities to earn a livelihood.

In addition, the KhudMukhtari pillar also aims to increase access to the acquisition of microfinance loans.

Things were different before. I had my own business started set up that was doing decent and things weren’t so bad. I have always had polio but that never really came in my way. But after my accident where I fell and made my leg worse, things were bound to get different.
My biggest happiness is my only daughter. I have tried to ensure she gets the best education and make her mark in the world because I can’t always be there to protect her. I even let her drive my three wheeler bike. I want her to experience everything.
After the NOWPDP Rickshaw training, two things happened: I got motivated again after years and I learned a new skill. The way my circumstances took a turn for the worse, I am waiting and will work hard for them to turn good again. I know it is possible. I look forward to opportunities coming up after the Rickshaw Driving training
MUHAMMAD KHALID
PHYSICAL DISABILITY | NOWPDP TRAINEE

Our Partners

HBL – 30 branches across Pakistan

Engro Corp & its subsidiaries

Shell Pakistan

Trocaire

Logo Khaadi

Soorty

ABUDAWOOD

Margalla Motors

Testimonials

“...the session at Zarkhez was by all standards, very interactive and interesting. The session was not too lengthy, the presentation conducted in Urdu encouraged active participation, and the PWD guest speaker’s discussion with the participants was very motivating.”
-Diversity Lead, Engro Fertilizer
“You and your team are doing a great job, in fact you are playing imperative role in society for vigilance & change. Participants also appreciated Engro’s efforts at the willingness to change and take the initiative to become inclusive."
-Executive, Engro
“Congratulations to you and your team on holding an excellent session on Disability this morning. Unfortunately, it’s an area of lowest awareness in our society and even so called parha likha section of the community doesn’t give required respect and opportunities to people with disability. I personally learnt quite a few new concepts and got motivated to do better in this area of extreme importance, good work.”
-CEO, Engro Polymer