First Ever E-Magazine | December 2011 | www ... - Oshwal Centre

What is Enabling Network?by, Urvina ShahFrom there, through the guidance of Nirmal Shah (NorthWest Area Chairperson) and Chetan Shah (North WestArea Secretary), EN was established as a sub-committeeunder North West Area.According to The Papworth Trust, there areapproximately 650 million disabled peopleworldwide, which is around 10% of the world’spopulation. The UK is estimated to have 11 m illiondisabled people, or approximately 17% of the population.The alarming truth is that within our own Oshwal Familywe have no consistent and reliable information regardingdisability. If we were to apply the national average of 17%to our community of 25,000 strong, this would meanapproximately 4,250 people are likely to have somedisability within our community.The UK Government’s vision is to ensure “by 2025,disabled people in Britain have full opportunities andchoices to improve their quality of life and be r espectedand included as equal members of society.” The questionis what are we as a community doing on this importantissue?Aims of Enabling NetworkWith this in mind ENABLING NETWORK was formed tochange perspectives, raise awareness and instil anunderstanding about disabilities (such as physicaldisability, learning difficulties, visual difficulties etc) tocreate a c ommunity of openness, tolerance and socialinclusion at all levels (such as religious functions, socialevents, sports activities, etc).EN’s longer-term aims would be to see those less able orwith learning difficulties be ac cepted as part of theOshwal Family. EN has taken the first small stepstowards tackling disability issues within our community,but we need your help if we are to achieve the longertermaims. If disability affects you or someone you lovethen come and j oin the EN team. Help us improve thequality of life of those affected.Enabling Network as a CommitteeEN was established on 2nd October 2010 during theOshwal Career & Development Fair, where it held a smallworkshop looking at disability issues.Following on from the September 2011 workshop ondisability issues, EN was formally established as acommittee by the OAUK Executive Committee in October2011.EN Committee MembersEN has 14 committee members as follows, each of whomis affected directly or indirectly by disability.• Anjali Gudhka • Ashish Patani• Dhiraj Shah • Jitendra Malde• Kalpi Shah • Rahki Haria• Rumit Shah • Sarita Shah• Shama Shah • Shital Shah• Smita Shah • Sweta Shah• Urvina Shah • Ushma ShahEN MembersAside from EN Committee Members, any Oshwalmember who is either directly or indirectly affected bydisability or has specialist knowledge about disabilitymatters can be a member of EN.Membership of EN is free and open to any Oshwalmember. To become a member please contact EN as percontact details below.Membership of EN will help strengthen the voice aboutdisability issues within our community further to bringabout much needed c hanges to educate and raiseawareness about the range of disability issues within ourcommunity and also to support the disabled members ofour community to help them re-engage with the widerOshwal community.Working together we can make things better for allOshwal members, irrespective of their abilities ordisabilities.EN ActivitiesDisability SurveyIn order to better understand how disability affectsOshwal members, EN has launched the disability survey,Oshwal News E-Magazine of the O.A.U.K. 4 December 2011 Edition