Indian association aids disabled persons board

By ALISON ANIS
THE Indian Association in PNG has presented a cheque for K40,000 to the National Board for Disabled Persons.
Board chairman Brown Kapi described the presentation as a “milestone” and assured Indian association president Sanjay Vaidya that the money would be put to good use.
“We are grateful for the assistance from our overseas partners towards this good cause,” he said.
Kapi said the money would be used to buy more devices, hearing aids and to meet shipping and freight costs.
Vaidya said the association was happy to be involved in helping people with disabilities.
“The Indian community in PNG has grown over the years and helped out in many ways,” he said.
“Most of our children have grown up here and have become citizens.
“This is our way of giving back to the country by helping communities,” Vaidya said.
Kapi said the association had helped in sponsoring assistive devices, airfares and shipment costs for the distribution of the devices but yesterday was the first time it had donated money to the board.
Vaidya said their work with the board had brought the Indian community closer to the people and helped in identifying ways they could help in making life easier for those who were less privileged.
“We are privileged to have seen first-hand the transformation of lives in communities. It opened up our eyes and hearts in many ways to people with disability,” he said.
“The feeling of being able to witness that joy and light coming from the eyes of a hearing-impaired person who for the first time could hear using a hearing aid was wonderful and that is something that money can’t buy.”