Welcome to the Homepage of “Foundation of People with Disabilities” – short FPD. We are a Ugandan non-governmental organisation established and run for and by people with Disabilities themselves, located in the south-western of the ‘Pearl of Africa’ (Kabale district).
The purpose of establishing FPD in 1989 was to form a pressure organisation and have a common voice, lobby and advocate for the rights of People with disabilities (PWDs) in the intention that they get fully recognized by the community.
Rights of People with disabilities were neglected for a long time. This concerns even basic needs such as
- Freedom (are over-protected or hidden)
- Marriage (denial of the right to marry)
- Housing (buildings not accessible /unfriendly)
- Transportation (no provision in vehicles)
- Education (exclusion from school and university)
The negative attitudes towards PWDs is often a result of
Exclusion of PWDs in national and local political leadership structures and therefore exclusion from the decision making process
Wrong/negative traditional beliefs based on superstitions or misinterpretations.
For example: people avoid contacting a person with epilepsy because they fear to get infected with epilepsy
Language barrier.
For example lack of sign language
Stigmatisation of disability due to lack of appropriate knowledge by the community about the causes of disability.
For example a lot of women are taking strong medicine during pregnancy
FPD is supporting PWDs in several ways from referring to governmental authorities to carrying out of large sensitisation projects. Due to the structure of FPD with groups at grassroots level the organisation is be able to bring the help most efficient to the designated people.
You are most welcome to read more about or history, vision, mission and objectives, or programme areas, about disability in Uganda on national and regional level and about success stories of People living with disabilities who were able to overcome prejudice and stigmas to live an equal and valuable life.
