The Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI) on October 21 inaugurated its Disability Inclusive Business Initiative (DIBI) to help find employment for disabled persons in the fields of car rental service, publishing and music band for hire (including singer performance).

MILI aims to build an inclusive society that enables persons with disabilities to live independently and achieve the full potential of their talents and capabilities.

The initiative was launched as disabled persons in Myanmar struggle to find employment amid widespread discrimination.

A recent study conducted by non-government organisations Myanmar Federation of Persons with Disabilities and Myanmar Disabled People Organizations showed some persons with disabilities who are working were given lower wages on the ground of their disability.

“Persons with disabilities have no equal right to vocational training and programs forrge workers, work in domestic jobs and take up any jobs that come by.”

The study noted that 50.4 percent of families with person with disabilities make their living on random jobs, and 28.8pc of them rely on agriculture.

“Everybody needs job to support their life. Nobody can live on donations all his or her entire life. Persons with disabilities need to have access to job opportunities. They need to have the necessary skills,” U Aung Ko Myint, DIBI’s managing director, told The Myanmar Times.

U Aung Ko Myint said the business sector needs to give the disabled people a chance and DIBI will match the skills of the disabled people with the need of the businesses in the country.

According to the 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census, of the total population of over 51 million, 4.6 percent or over 2.3 million people are suffering from disabilities.

The initiative is supported by the Nippon Foundation and has a total of 16 staff.

Ko Chan Myae Aunng, the initiative’s marketing officer, said more than half of DIBI’s staff are persons with disabilities.

“We provide the best quality and price just like in any other business. There is no need to pay additional fees because you are hiring disabled people. Our workers are as good as ordinary people,” Ko Chan Myae Aunng said.

“We will extend our service to music studios. Currently we have music studio, which is a good place for practicing music instruments and for music classes” he added.

DIBI announced special promotion period from October 23 to December 31.

For more details : https://www.mmtimes.com/news/ngo-launches-livelihood-business-initiative-disabled.html