Aiming for gold and championing the rights of people with disabilities
Stories | December 19, 2024
Minnie, a 40-year-old mother of two and Treasurer of a disability association in the Philippines, faced a life-changing accident at age six that led to the amputation of her right hand. Bullied during her early school years, she found solace and confidence in table tennis. Her dedication to the sport earned her an athletic scholarship that supported her college education and enabled her to win numerous medals and represent the Philippines in the National Paralympic Games and the Far East South International Paralympics. Her success also helped cover her family’s medical expenses, including her father’s kidney surgery and her sister’s mental health treatment.
Determined not to let her disability hold her back, Minnie joined a CBM-supported project that is supporting people with disabilities living in areas at high risk of disaster to become more involved in decisions that affect them. To achieve this, the project team supports Organisations of People with Disabilities (OPD) to engage in policies and programs on climate change adaptation and disaster risk so that they are better prepared for and able to cope when a disaster happens.
For Minnie, joining an OPD has both been rewarding and challenging. Elected Treasurer, she has helped bring together other people with disabilities in the area. However, as an OPD leader, one of the challenges Minnie faced was encouraging people with disabilities to participate in community activities. Many were hesitant to leave their homes due to fear of bullying. But, through the project’s interventions, both individuals and their families gradually became more engaged, leading to increased local government recognition for their contributions to the community.
Now working as the Persons with Disability Affairs Officer at the local government, a role she has long aspired to, Minnie reflects, “Mainstreaming participation of people with disabilities takes time. As the new Persons with Disability Affairs Officer of the municipality, I am a bit afraid and nervous about the new position with a bigger role to play. But I am confident that with the existing support from CBM and through the project, I can play the game and win the Gold!”
CBM Australia acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/aiming-for-gold-and-championing-the-rights-of-people-with-disabilities