KUWAIT: The Training Gate International (TGI) launched its D Partners Program yesterday at the JW Marriott Hotel. During the press conference, Kefaih Al-Alban, founder of Training Gate International, said "We are pleased to work together in achieving our mission to integrate individuals with disabilities in all aspects of life and enable them to participate as individuals in the community, so we are launching the training project, D Partners, after a series of successes and the positive results that we witnessed from our training programs in the past years. "The D Partners Program is funded by the Regional Office for the Coordination of Aid in Kuwait, through local grants program to the initiative of the US Middle East Partnership (MEPI).

"We designed a series of training workshops to enable the generation of young people with disabilities to be an active, empowered, productive and influential member for themselves and their homeland. And as the case of individuals with disabilities ... so it is better to support them to help themselves," said Alban. Alban explained that the training project will train and provide people with disabilities with the necessary skills to serve themselves and their cause and help them merge with young people without disabilities.

Ongoing partnership

Mark Bosse, Press AttachÈ of the US Embassy in Kuwait said meanwhile that on behalf of the US Embassy in Kuwait and Ambassador Douglas A Silliman, they are honored to cooperate with TGI and will keep this cooperation in the future. "The D Partners Program, which achieves the goal of the ongoing partnership between the US Embassy and Training Gate International through the training of individuals with disabilities and support them and enable them to advocate for their issues, and the creation of a civic culture supporting democracy and active participation of all members of the community in social and political life values, and seals the proverb of former United States President Franklin Roosevelt, who said 'We cannot create a future for our youth, but we can make our youth ready for the future' and this is what I wish could be achieved through the D Partners Program," said Bosse.

Meanwhile, Noura Al-Othman, partner and deputy general manager of TGI, explained that what's special about this training program is that an elite group of young people with disabilities will teach three workshops, each according to his field. They are Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi, Iman al-Khalidi and Fahd Al-Mulla. Othman likewise noted that training membership is free and will be open to secondary school students (12th grade), university students and recent graduates with disabilities.

The training program will run from August 16 to September 15 at the JW Marriott Hotel and will consist of six workshops: Volunteering and Disability Etiquette; Kuwaiti Law 8/2010, which details the rights of persons with disability; Social Inclusion; Planning for Success (Education to Employment); Health and Sports and Advocating for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Training Gate International is a non-profit organization established in July 2009 and is the first and the only one of its kind in Kuwait to operate as a specialized human resources development organization , in collaboration with international partners, focusing on training and skills development for people with disabilities.

By Faten Omar