In order to strengthen their capacity, operations and to have direction in implementing the programs, Voice Disability Initiative (VDI), an NGO working to protect the rights of women, girls and children with disabilities has a 3day retreat to kickstart a process of developing a five- year strategic plan.
The retreat which took place at Keffi, Nasarawa State was supported by National Democratic Institute (NDI) and brought together some BOT members of the organization, their partners and staff.
The Executive Director of VDI, Barr. Catherine Edeh in her speech to newsmen said that the process is to reposition the organisation to be well organized for future tasks and opportunities.
Edeh also said that the retreat was to enhance the organization’s capacity and direction to address the needs of persons with disabilities, and achieve the vision and mission of the organisation.
Speaking further, this disability advocate disclosed that their strategic plan expired in 2021, and again the former plan was not strong enough, hence the need to develop another one.
“So our partner organisation, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), funded us to undertake this retreat to develop a five year strategic plan to guide our activities from 2023 to 2027.
“That is why we are all gathered here, we are here to share experiences, to gain from others, one person cannot do it all, myself as the Executive Director do not have all the knowledge.
“With the interaction we will be getting from people, we are having professionals here, these professionals have knowledge about this area, they have also consulted bigger organisations.
“It is not that I understand this work very well, but with other organisations and the experience they will bring to us, just like what we have discussed today, using the SWOT analysis, realizing our strength, weakness, opportunity and threat will be easier.
“identifying all these and learning on it will help our capacity, we will be informed better, and all of us in the organisation will be better prepared and bring up maximum productivity to the organisation,” Edeh said.
Mr. Emmanuel Ozoemena, a policy analyst, called for an enabling environment that would make persons with disabilities to thrive and not to discriminate against them.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has created a framework for persons with disabilities to be treated equality as well as getting access to places.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari has created access for inclusion policies, but the disability are yet to have an enabling environment that would make them to thrive.
“The disability commission is trying to scan the environment to know what to do; what I think should happen is for both the public and private environment to begin to comply with some of the requirements of Disability Act.
“Hotels, Churches, Mosques and other public places need to comply with the Act and begin to build facilities that enable access for persons with disabilities but in most cases, they are not.
“For this to happen, it might require another sensitisation,” Ozoemena said.
He called on states that were yet to domesticate the Disability Act in their various domains to do so, to enable people with disabilities have access to places including education.
Mazi Chijioke Nwafor, a member of Board of Trustees (BOT), VDI, stated that one of the basic aims of the retreat was to chat a way forward towards improvement of the systems of operation of VDI and ensure that it’s mandate towards persons with disabilities.
He said that people were brainstorming to ensure all round inclusion of PWDs, especially women.
Another member of the BOT, Mr Daniel Nwaezuoke, stated that the interference of the BOT was to enhance the capacity of VDI in all ramifications, so that PWDs will benefit more from its activities.
According to him, the BOT wants to see VDI placed on a pedestal where it will have funding from international agencies and the agencies will have high confidence in it and restructure the VDI.
Solomon Nweke, project finance manager at Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) and one of the resource person speaking during his presentation on action plan component of Strategic Plan said that even though VDI have been able to record so many milestones, there is need for them to strengthen the internal mechanism in order to build sustainability within the organization.
Speaking further, he advised VDI to strengthen themselves in the area of recruitment, communication and finance management and so on.
TQM learnt that when the Strategic plan is completed, VDI will bring together stakeholders to validate and adopt before it will become working document of VDI.
Some participants at the retreat made commitments to assist VDI in implementation of the strategic plan
