market opportunities for persons with disabilities. There is high demand for this training from
young persons with disabilities.
CDC conducts a social club to provide opportunity for children and young people with
disabilities to interact with the community. The social club activities are organized on weekends with support from teachers and volunteers. Social club activities include afternoon walks,
visits to the park, outdoor play activities and swimming classes.
Care Society has established facilities for community based rehabilitation (CBR) in two
atolls of the Maldives. CBR is a strategy for enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities by improving service delivery, providing more equitable opportunities, and promoting
and protecting their human rights. Heeds Learning Centre in Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo and
Care Community Empowerment Centre in Seenu Hithadhoo were established in 2004. In
September 2005 an evaluation of CBR program was conducted with assistance of Handicap
International. Based on the recommendations of the evaluation, the Hithadhoo CBR center
and the Thinadhoo CBR center were officially inaugurated on 7th April 2006 and 1st May
2006 respectively. CBR Centres of Care Society are run by a network of volunteers. The tasks
of CBR centres include increasing awareness and identifying the vulnerable groups including people with disabilities, sustaining the quality of services provided by CBR workers and
the selected committee for people with disabilities employing such tools as constant monitorimprove independence and quality of life of people with disabilities.
8.2 Maldives Deaf Association
The Maldives Deaf Association (MDA) brings together previously isolated, deaf groups
and individuals in Male’ and conducts programmes to raise awareness on issues faced by
deaf people. MDA has more than 58 members who are deaf. Every Friday meetings are held
with the members to discuss issues facing them. MDA was established in 2008 with the help
of Handicap International and Mr. Amaresh Gopalakrishnan. Maldives Deaf Association was
officially launched on 27 October 2009. MDA have plans to expand their activities in the atolls
through forming a travelling theatre group to visit islands across the Maldives and teach the
public about deafness, and the challenges faced by deaf people, as well as to inform deaf people
about the help available to them.
ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
ing and close observation with the support of specialized personnel in rehabilitation, and to
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