The Office of the Secretary of State for Integration of Persons with Disabilities (BSEIPH) presented Monday, May 14, in its premises of the rue Panaméricaine, the results of its first 6 months of operation [October 2011 - April 2012] as well as its vision and objectives for 2012. In six months, with a relatively modest budget, the actions of BSEIPH are already impressive, and clearly demonstrates that the disability is not a barrier to success. Congratulations to Gérald Oriol Jr, Secretary of State for the Integration of Disabled People and to all his wonderful team.

Activities October 2011 - April 2012

Vision

A Haitian inclusive society that takes into account the needs and aspirations of all his son and all his daughters.

Mission

• Significantly change the living conditions of disabled people and work on their integration in all spheres of social life.

• The BSEIPH will ensure that all sectors of national life (public and private) are taking their responsibilities in this integrative process.

Objectives for 2012

• Strengthen institutional capacity of BSEIPH and associations working in the disability field.

• Allow a greater number of people with disabilities to have access to education and vocational training both in mainstream than specialized environment.

• Increase access of disabled people to employment and entrepreneurship.

• Promote the development of physical infrastructure accessible to the disabled.

• Work towards the adoption and extension of Haitian law on the integration of disabled persons and other legal tools.

Achievements

Institutional Strengthening

• Restructuring and Reorganization of BSEIPH

  -The various units and departments have been reorganized

  -New executives have been recruited

• Strengthening of associations and institutions working in the field of disability

  -64 Disability organizations received financial support for institutional strengthening from 25.000 to 500.000 gourdes gourds

  -Training was organized on the identification of projects of sustainable impact and report writing for executives from associations of program beneficiaries

Education and Vocational Training

• 140 schoolchildren and students with disabilities have received a school subsidy

• A partnership with INSHEA was established to develop a module in special education

• An amputee football tournament, launched by AHFA and CBM was supported to raise awareness the population on the rights and abilities of disabled persons

Employment and Entrepreneurship

• 4 Professionals with disabilities were hired by private companies or public

• 120 Persons with disabilities received an income generating activity as part of a project with the Foundation Voilà and J'Aime Haïti

• 158 Persons with disabilities in difficult situations have received financial assistance

• A MoU was signed with JCI Haiti and another with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti to facilitate the integration of disabled persons in the labor market

Accessibility

• Promotional messages on the principles of universal accessibility have been disseminated via a commercial audio and video through a number of media

• The price of accessibility has been launched to honor personalities and institutions supporting the disabled access to their services or buildings

• The Special School "Foyer d’Amour" has benefited from the development project ramps for disabled

• Training on the principles of universal accessibility has been organized in partnership with CBM for the benefit of twenty municipal engineers

• A platform was created in partnership with CBM and HI in order to exchange and share technical resources and best practices for universal accessibility in Haiti

Legal framework and Awareness

• An awareness campaign was launched around the vote of the Act on the Integration of Disabled Persons to the Senate of the Republic, which facilitated the vote of March 13, 2012

• Three (3) talks were organized around disability issues respectively in collaboration with a youth organization of the Croix des Bouquets, the Christian Service of Haiti and the University of Notre Dame of Haiti

• A weekly column about the sector's activities was launched on TNH

Activities of End of Year 2011 and other

• 400 handicapped children attended the Christmas party at the National Palace

• 600 disabled persons received kits and envelopes at Central Office together with the Office of the First Lady

• 700 people with disabilities through the Regional Offices of BSEIPH received kits

• 10 solar streetlights were installed in the Village of Hope located at Cabaret to benefit families of deaf

• 17 disabled people participated in the national carnival parade in the city of Les Cayes

• A program of health services at preferential costs has been implemented for people with disabilities through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Organization DASH (a first group of 500 people have access to the program)

• 3 disability groups and one disabled artist presented their works at the Fair agricultural, industrial and artisanal 1 May

Constraints

• Of structural constraints and administrative at the level of the state have slowed or even prevented a strict observance of the action plan established for the period

Perspectives

• Strengthening of the awareness campaign

• Implementation of a Haitian-Brazilian Institute of Rehabilitation

• Capacity Building at the Institutional and Political level to promote and defend the rights of disabled

• Establishment of a Program to Strengthen the Legal Framework for People with Disabilities in Haiti

• Implementation of structures of the National Solidarity Fund for Integration and Autonomy of Persons with Disabilities

• Implementation of a project to support education and development of disabled sports

• Implementation of a project of employment and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities

Partial balance of expenditure

October 2011 - April 2012

Operating Expenses

Upon arrival in October 2011, the current account of the BSEIPH accused an amount of 966,280.16 gourdes whose 811,017.07 for investment and 155,263.09 for the operation

• Operating Expenses 129,902.49 gourdes

  The budget has not yet voted, the MAST has agreed to cover certain operating costs such as:

• Boni contractual staff 1,276,150.00 gourdes

• Boni Great Commis of the State 97,200.00 gourdes

• Remunerations Great Commis of the State 583,200.00 gourdes

• Remunerations contractual staff 6,168,236.67 gourdes

• Fixed expenses Great Commis 32,400.00 gourdes

• Fuel 145,000.00 gourdes

• Recharge cards 94,380.00 gourdes

GRAND TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 8,526,469.16 gourdes

Fund expenditure Urgent Intervention

• Bonuses paid to employees 410,000.00 gourdes

• Benefits to students 1,123,675.00 gourdes

• Various benefits and exceptional * 6,993,103.71 gourdes

• Project funding of external lighting at Village of Hope for the families of deaf 590,400.00 gourdes

• Organization of a seminar for associations of PHs 125,515.92 gourdes

• Travel to regional offices to meet the disabled 102,000.00 gourdes

• Rental various, and other charges in connection with meetings with disabled people 57,340.00 gourdes

• Purchase of computer equipment for the strengthening of the office 110,805.00 gourdes

• Other expenses ** 487,160,37 gourdes

Grand Total Fund Urgent Intervention : 10,000,000.00 gourdes

* Grants to associations, financial assistance to disabled persons in difficulty; financial assistance to parents of disabled children

** Perfecting of vehicles of office, purchase of fuel and lubricant supplies and small office equipment, telecommunications costs, and others.

HL/ HaitiLibre