About Our Organization

Background

The Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA) was founded in 1999, as an umbrella Organizations of Persons with Disabilities OPDs in Malawi to provide a unified voice for all OPDs.

FEDOMA has a specific mandate as the voice of persons with disabilities of all kinds throughout Malawi and in acting on their behalf, ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to services and support that the able bodied community takes for granted.

FEDOMA is registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act and the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) and works in liaison with the Ministry Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare.

Currently, there  are 12 Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) affiliated  to FEDOMA as follows:

  • Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB).
  • Disabled Women in Development (DIWODE).
  • Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD).
  • Spinal Injuries Association of Malawi (SIAM)
  • Parents of Disabled Children Association in Malawi (PODCAM).
  • Association of persons with Albinism of Malawi (APAM).
  • Association of Persons with Physical Disability in Malawi (APPDM).
  • Disabled Widows Orphans Organization in Malawi (DWOOM)
  • National Epilepsy Association(NEA)
  • Disability rights Organization of Movement  (DROM)
  • Visual and Hearing Impaired Association of Malawi(VIHEMA)
  • Mental Health Users and Cares Association (MEHUCA)

The organization is staffed and managed by an inclusive mix of persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities.  This mix is reflected through the staff, the Board and the Trustees.  The organization is led, on behalf of the Trustees and Board by the Executive Director. An elected volunteer Board made up of representatives of the eight development partner organizations manages FEDOMA.  Elected voluntary officers within the Board – the Chairperson, the Secretary and Treasurer – work with the Secretariat Staff to ensure proper compliance with Board of governance.  In addition to the Executive Board there is a legally constituted Board of Trustees that ensures that the organization is in  full compliance with the legal requirements of Malawi and company law as it relates to nation al NGO’s.

   

 

Vision Statement

FEDOMA strives for an inclusive barrier free society where every individual is able to maximize their fullest potential

Mission Statement

FEDOMA is an umbrella of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities which works to unify, coordinate efforts and strengthen the advocacy work its affiliates for the well-being  of Persons with Disabilities in Malawi

FEDOMA Objectives

  • to promote and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities,
  • to advocate for and monitor the equalization of opportunities for people with disabilities as stipulated in the United Nation’s Standard Rules,
  • to coordinate the formation and strengthen the capacity of the affiliated DPOs.

Values

  • Integrity
  • Non-partisan
  • Accountability and transparency
  • Equality
  • Participation
  • Respect for Human rights
  • Tolerance
  • Commitment
  • Objectivity
  • Equal opportunities (equity)
  • Flexibility
  • Team work
  • Honesty
  • Gender sensitivity
  • Good governance
  • Belief in God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How can I work with FEDOMA?

At The Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA), we are eager to work with different people willing to help persons with disabilities realize their rights.

Please find our different ways you can enroll with us here.

  1. Somebody can work with FEDOMA as a volunteer. In this case, one must show interest to work in disability sector. you can show the interest by writing FEDOMA or calling our hot lines of by visiting our offices to have an interface discussion.
  2. You can work with FEDOMA through internship, in this case, we may require those pursing various programs in various universities and at their own free time can come and gain experience in as far as disability issues are concerned. We knowledge internees who write  our office asking for the internship or attachment. We also advise colleges and universities to write our office seeking for the internship opportunity Dior their students.
  3. You can work with FEDOMA by engaging yourself in specific training programmes which you are an expert in it. In this case we recommend individual, Organizations or government egencies  who may wish to train our staff in specific ares that FEDOMA can benefit.  For example, drilling FEDOMA and it s affiliated organizations on gender mainstreaming, legal aspects among other tercentennial aspects.
  4. You can work with FEDOMA as an employee. In this case, whenever vacancies arise at FEDOMA we do advertise for those qualified individuals to apply. For us to achieve inclusion,  FEDOMA work with all people whether somebody is disabled or he /she is not.

How to help with resource mobilisation?

You do not necessarily need to be a donor to help FEDOMA. You can still help us by connecting us with potential donors out there, if you have some connections. Or better still, if you have proposal writing skills, we welcome your support with drafting new proposals or editing existing proposals that can help us win more donations.

Can i help with policy analysis?

Inclusive policies are a catalyst for development, more especially the realization of different rights that persons with disabilities have. If you have expertise in policy analysis, we welcome you support in helping analyze different policies and how they affect persons with disabilities in Malawi.

How can i help with UNCRPD advocacy?

Malawi signed the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on 27 September 2007, and subsequently ratified it on 27 August 2009.

You can help to put pressure on our political leaders in ensuring the implementation of the UNCRPD to ensure that the State fulfill its duties and obligations enshrined in the Convention so that  persons with disabilities enjoy their rights and welfare.

You can do it by, for instance, posting on your Facebook wall, talking about it on your twitter, Blogging about it, writing letter to editors in the Botswana;s leading newspapers, among other things.

How else do i get involved?

  • By volunteering at FEDOMA
  • By taking part in FEDOMA’s advocacy activities on the UNCRPD as already mentioned above
  • By giving/donating to us so that we fulfill our mandate for persons with disabilities, and
  • Many other ways of getting yourself involved with our work. If you have any other ideas that we have not mentioned on this website on how you get involved, please feel free to contact us here.

Programs