SARPV, the movement aiming at raising the voice of the people with disabilities for equalization of rights and opportunities, and ensuring their full participation, was initiated in 1988 by Shahidul Haque.

Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable popularly known as SARPV- Bangladesh is a way to raise the awareness of the people that persons with disabilities are the untapped contributing force in our socioeconomic activities.

VISION
SARPV dreams of a society where persons with disabilities can grow to their full potential despite functional and environmental limitations and participate to their full capacity in social activities, and where persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights and opportunities in the mainstream of the society.

MISSIONS

The missions of SARPV are to create mass awareness and to support for development of role models, regardless they are its staff and members with disabilities or not, through training and exposure, and model programmes where persons with disabilities gain self-reliance and thus are integrated in the mainstream of social life on equal terms.
SARPV has been predominantly an advocacy organisation promoting the voice of the persons with disabilities to that effect. SARPV works to promote the socio-economic condition of the persons with disabilities and the marginal community (women, children and aged persons) of Bangladesh to be achieved through promotion of their sustained access to appropriate capacity building and income opportunities towards mainstreaming through working with other development partners. SARPV tries to have a social commitment of the business sector so that business supports the most vulnerable sections of the community like persons with disabilities.

PHILOSOPHY OF SARPV

The philosophy of SARPV lies with the latent meaning of the abbreviated form of the name of the organisation. SARPV does not only means Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable it also symbolizes the philosophy of the organization. From philosophical perspective, SARPV stands for Shaping a positive Attitude of the community through action Research and Policy changes for a newer Value on disability. Thus, SARPV stands out quite transfigured more as an ethics rather than a name.

REALISATION OF SARPV

In Bangladesh, people with disabilities are deprived of access in everyday activities. They are considered a curse, a burden and kept apart from social activities, despite their equal rights as others in the society. Principle realizations of SARPV are: Disabled people are also equal and the also need EQUAL DIGNITY AND JUSTICE LIKE OTHERS.

CORE BELIEFS OF SARPV

SARPV believes family and the immediate community of a person with a disability can effect the changes favourable for him or her
SARPV respects the indigenous knowledge, cultures and customs
SARPV treats people with disabilities and other marginal communities as valued customers (i.e., human beings with a right to choose) of SARPV’s services rather than as recipients of charity/handouts
SARPV tends to apply business principles towards development goals.

MANAGEMENT OF SARPV
A nine member Executive Committee is responsible for overall activities and programmes of SARPV, who are elected every two years by the general members. Membership to SARPV is restricted only for the persons with disabilities.

The executive committee have gender and disability representation around 50:50 participation. Chairperson and General Secretary are elected persons with disabilities by constitution.On behalf of the Executive Committee, the general secretary of the committee works as the Chief Executive of the organization. He is fully responsible for overall implementation of programmes and projects of SARPV and one appointed Executive Director assists Chief Executive in discharging this responsibility of operations.

Everyone is a potential candidate for becoming disabled at any time; making our environment disability friendly is our prime concern.
Copyright SARPV- Bangladesh.