NFPDN Profile

Who We Are

The National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia (NFPDN) was established to cater for disabled people. Its mission is to empower disabled people nationwide through training, research, information sharing, and promotion of human rights and adoption of appropriate strategies to enhance their economic, political and social development.

NFPDN Membership

Disabled Youth Council of Namibia (DYCN)
Parents of Children with Disabilities (PDC)
Namibian Association of People with Physical Disabilities (NAPPD)
National Federation of the Visual Impaired (NFVI)
Namibian National Association of The Deaf (NNAD)
Namibian Association of Differently Abled Women (NADAWO)

Brief Country Disability Profile

According to the 2001 population and housing census, 5 percent of Namibians live with disabilities of whom 21 percent suffer from deafness, 35 percent blindness, 11 percent speech difficulties and 27 percent from disabilities affecting the hands and legs, while 5 percent suffer from mental defects.

The same census report revealed that 5 percent of the people live in Kunene, of which 18 percent suffer from deafness, 35 percent blindness, 16 percent speech difficulties, 45 percent with hand and leg disabilities, and 5 percent suffer mental defects. Physical disability is therefore a huge challenge facing Namibia generally.

As regards the situation of Persons with Disabilities in Namibia, they encounter multiple levels on exclusion and discrimination, as evidenced by the 2004 Disability Living Conditions Survey conducted by SINTEF (Eide, A. et al 2003). This survey showed that disabled children were more than twice as likely not to have received a primary education than their non-disabled counterparts.

Furthermore, 98% of disabled people were unemployed. The survey showed that there was gross inadequacy in the provision of vocational rehabilitation, counseling service and access to assisted devices. Such challenges continue to persist even today. For a more detailed country disability profile for Namibia, Please Click Here»

What We Do

Since its establishment, NFPDN has been involved in a number of activities geared at uplifting the rights and welfare of Persons with Disabilities in Namibia through its affiliated Disability Peoples Organisations (DPOs).

From 2003 - 2005, NFPDN had been working actively in the implementation of the Awareness Building Campaign (ABC) in partnership with SAFOD and FFO. During that period, NFPDN led several successful events which brought together stakeholders to discuss disability issues within the Namibian context. The ABC contributed an important ideological contribution to change the understanding and attitudes of people with disabilities – going from charity to independence. ABC also gave local activities on disability issues a nation-wide perspective.

Where We Are Now

Due to a number of institutional challenges ranging from leadership management to funding challenges, the federation scaled down its activities for several years, and its secretariat shut down. Before experiencing the downturn, the federation was being funded by the European Union (EU) for four years. Funding from the EU enabled it to establish offices in Opuwo, Oshakati, Rundu and Windhoek. After it ran out of funds all its operations ended.

The "death" of NFPDN proved to be a huge blow to the disability movement and advocacy in the country as there was no longer a credible structure to coordinate the activities of DPOs as well as provide direction and capacity-building of DPOs in advocacy for disability rights, mainstreaming and overall inclusive development.

As a result, the good news was that with financial and technical support from the Ministry of Health and the Office of the Prime Minister, the disability movement in Namibia was mobilized with the mission of reviving NFPDN. On 11th to the 12th February 2015, a National Congress was therefore organized held at Keetmanshoop which elected eight new Board Members of NFPDN. Besides the election of Board Members, the National Congress also sought to explore and strategize on how the federation could be strengthened and enhance programs for people with disabilities as part of the revival process .

At the time when the federation was still active, NFPDN had bought many assets. Some of them were still new and in very good condition. However, as of February 2015, (i.e. prior to the Congress), most of its office items, including vehicles and computers were sold without the federation's knowledge when its offices closed down. NFPDN therefore had to almost start from scratch shortly after the Congress, embarking on journey of rebuilding.

Board Members

The National Congress, which was attended by people with disabilities from different regions and DPOs, therefore elected the following names of individuals who will run the federation in the next four years.

Chairperson:

Daniel Trum (Repsenting NFVI)

Vice chairperson:

Sylvia Chindunka (Representing Parent)

Secretary:

Gabriel Shikwaya (Representing Albino Trust/Youth)

Treasurer:

Julian Samuel (Representing NFVI)

Additional members:

Elia Shapwa (Representing NNAD)
Seblon Nakakuwa (Representing NOYD)
Soini Mukwangu (Representing NAPPD)
Anguezell Lottering (Representing NOYD)

NFPDN Contacts

The NFPDN can be contacted on the following address:

National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia (NFPDN)

PO Box 13272

Windhoek

Namibia

Contact Person:

Mr. Daniel Trum

Chairperson

Tel/Cell: +26481226683 / +26485226683