Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

Chairman of the nongovernmental
organization Zaur, a disabled IATP user,
Zaur Seyidzade answers questions of
participants during an online forum.

For the last few months, IATP had been focusing on helping disabled people to integrate into society in cooperation with local nongovernmental organizations. In July, IATP sponsored an international online forum on problems facing disabled people, provided a series of trainings for ten members of the Disabled Women’s Association in Siyazan and hosted a series of seminars in Imishli and Ali Bayramli.

• More than 20 people from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan voiced their concerns about the problems facing disabled citizens and their integration into society in an online forum with Zaur Seyidzade, chair of the charitable society Zaur, conducted from July 10 to 23. Participants posted various questions related to issues including state support for disabled people, their rights, education, and employment opportunities, financial problems, and legislation in this field. Seyidzade has been confined to a wheelchair since birth due to paralysis of both of his legs, so IATP has been providing him with free Internet access through dial-up at home to enable him more easily and efficiently to conduct his work. He also completed mobile trainings on computer and Internet basics, spreadsheet use, and photo editing. He is also taking IATP’s Web design course to learn the necessary skills to create his organization’s website.

• On July 9 a series of trainings on computer and Internet basics began for ten disabled women and their children in cooperation with the Disabled Women’s Association, a nongovernmental organization in Siyazan. The participating women lack opportunities to obtain IT skills free of charge and the goal of the trainings is to help them fill this gap and find appropriate jobs. Through these trainings, they have acquired the necessary skills to prepare electronic documents, browse for information on the Web, and use Internet communication tools. NGO Director Garanfil Gurbanova commented, ”The skills we acquired during the training will help us complete Web design courses so we can create the website of our organization.”

• Parviz Heydarov, chair of the nongovernmental organization Parallax and a disabled IATP user, created his own website after completing mobile training courses on photo editing and Web design conducted by Baku IATP Center Administrator Azer Kerimov from March 12 to 30. The website contains information about Heydarov’s life and activities; his articles on economic development issues, a photo gallery, and a page dedicated to the NGO Parallax that he founded recently. In addition, Heydarov participated as a guest speaker in IATP’s online forum conducted from April 10 to 20 and shared his opinions with citizens about issues related to development of business in Azerbaijan.

• Ten internally displaced persons (IDPs) and disabled people referred by the Karabakh Relief Committee (KRC) obtained computer and Internet skills at the IATP center in Baku, Azerbaijan from March 2 to 31. The training was part of IATP’s joint project with the KRC providing Karabakh IDPs and disabled with technology skills to help them integrate into local communities.