Disabled people’s Organization commonly known as DPOs are formed and managed by persons with disabilities themselves. Traditionally DPOs devote themselves to lobby for human rights, self-representation and ensuring that issues affecting them are addressed effectively in developing countries and in Africa in particular.

DPOs are more involved in public education and sensitization about the problems and needs of disabled people, and in initiating and participating in different aspects of rehabilitation interventions. In some of these countries, apart from the departments and ministries responsible for social affairs, it is the DPOs which are actively involved in rehabilitation interventions. DPOs have certain areas of expertise which can be of great use to CBR programmes and it’s a fact that Disabled persons can express their problems better than anyone else. They can also function as militants, lobbying for other disabled persons.

They can promote effective self-help groups for experience sharing and motivating others. They can mobilise communities and exert influence on decision makers and professionals, to enhance the participation of disabled people in society. DPOs can also help in research activities such as identification of the needs, problems and appropriate solutions for disabled people, organization of debates at appropriate fora to exchange ideas, and evaluation of programmes initiated to improve them further.

In Zambia we have a number of DPOs such as Zambia Federation for Disability Organizations (ZAFOD) Zambia National Federation for the Blind (ZANDB) Zambia National Association for the Deaf ( ZNAD) just to mention the few and in these Organization only Disabled people are engaged mostly in both board and management because these are Organizations referred to as Organizations of the Disabled and tomorrow I will discuss Organization for the Disabled, Stay Blessed.