From the beginning of this training, we had to learn the Japanese language for 3 months. It was so challenging for us but our teachers helped us adapt to the language. Every day we were given a lot of hard tasks, however the teachers were very compassionate and loving. I really loved them for their great communication with us. Sometimes we made a lot of pronunciation mistakes which made us laugh.

It became an excellent memory for us and we improved our Japanese skills at the same time as swimming lessons once every week.

I went to Saito Kobo wheelchair company. From them, I learned there were different types of wheelchairs. People choose the most effective wheelchairs in accordance with their physical condition. Japan is much more accessible than other countries. There are many wheelchair designs.

One month later I went to Center for Independent Living ”Higashiyamato”. There I met Ebihara -san who taught me about independent living centers and I participated in meeting and events. From Ebihara-san I learned about severe disabilities. She is an incredible leader who fights for the change for inclusive society, working with severely disabled persons. Her dream is to give inclusive education to all children in Japan. It was so inspiring, because I saw how difficult it was for her to get through each day, but she is not worried. She was running around very energetically to support severely disabled persons and their families.

After that I met Dr. Mami Kanazawa. We discussed about women with disabilities in Bangladesh. We also talked about accessibility, women’s disability, intellectual disability, human rights, different disabilities and international communication.

Every part of the training in Japan had important meanings. For example, the ski training was not just two days of having fun. Through skiing, we learned how people with disabilities could enjoy adventures just like others with lot of challenges. It was not too easy for us because everyone had several difficulties, coming from different countries. I spent every day worrying about their physical condition. For all of us, having an adventure was out of the question, let alone skiing. Before I came to Japan, I never even imagined I would be able to ski. Because my disability is cerebral palsy, the lower portion of my body is too weak. I have little balance in the lower part of the body and my hand power is not so good, so it was very challenging for me to balance my body and hands. However, I tried because I wanted to try the adventure. It felt great to wheelchair-ski! It made me very happy!

To celebrate Happy New Year 2017, we went to stay at the homes of Japanese families. I stayed at Yamada-san’s house for one week. It was an incredible New Year. Every day we went to different beautiful places, ate Japanese food, wore nice dresses, went outside with the entire family and some of their friends. They were very kind. We had a good time and celebrated the New Year together.

I had always wished strongly to live independently. During university and when I worked afterward, I lived alone in Dhaka, but after coming to Japan I found a new definition of independent living, which motivated me to work hard with willpower despite difficulties. In independent living movement, the important concepts are to make decisions by oneself, taking responsibility for family and others, strive financially for oneself, and know that we have the rights to do anything we wish.

However, in most developing countries, it is still believed people with disabilities should live with their family even if they get older. It is unfounded. Usually developing countries have no government facilities, no barrier-free infrastructure, or helper system. No group home facilities, no employment facilities. Despite all this, I believe that in future people with disabilities in Bangladesh will also be able to live independently.

I visited several centers for independent living in Japan, including Center for Independent Living Navi, Independent Living ”MUCHU” Center, Center for Independent Living ”Higashiyamato” and A.J.U.Center for Independent Living. They had a united goal of independent living with equal human rights, living a happy life with lot of friends and doing as your wish! But the activities were different from center to center. The main motto I found was that for all of us life is a journey, is not so easy, but the important thing is to keep going.

I felt hopeful and happy, realizing how wonderful it is to live independently, and with my dearest friends! We can promote independent living in our country and making resources available, to fit the needs of people with disabilities in Bangladesh.

In developing countries, the biggest challenge is to create a barrier-free society. Bangladesh has no barrier free environment which is the main obstacle for persons with disabilities. I had never seen a completely barrier-free environment in my country, but when I came here, from day one, I was surprised to see how barrier free Japan was, throughout the next 10 months. We went out every day checking if various sites were barrier-free but they all were! This experience puzzled me. I could not understand where we stood in our home countries. We have thousands of barriers starting from home. Physically challenged persons are unable to even think about going outside as we wish, and, having no accessibility consequently slows down or hinders disabled people from developing themselves. Our future goal is a barrier-free society.

I visited an organization for children with disabilities and met some cute children. At this place, I learned about after school day care service for child with disability, various disabilities, their barriers, teachers’ approach, and how they gradually develop their brain functions. What interests them and makes them play? In my country, thousands of children have autism, and intellectual or severe disabilities. We have only a few organizations working with children with disabilities. We have no trained teachers, no assistive or independent living systems. It was very informative training.

Before coming to Japan, I was not very confident. I always thought I have disabilities so I must work harder than others and I should establish myself as a strong woman. So I was just working very hard but after coming here I found with a new version of me, I could make people happy, I can motivate people!

I found my disability partly gives me my willpower to face more challenges. I feel so proud that I have this disability because despite the disability I am one of the capable women in my country. I am the luckiest girl who got the opportunity to fight against society, against discrimination. What matters is how I can improve myself by my work, because I believe ability comes from our heart. I want to contribute myself for my family and my country.

Discrimination is one of the biggest obstacles all over the world. I learned to change society full of discrimination rather than always seeking help from specialists and others who offer help. I learned we should strive to create the ideal society with our own hands.

I felt so happy and was always smiley making lot of friends in Japan. They never censured me nor harassed me or talked to me impertinently. They made me happy and I also tried to make them happy! As a pharmacist, I know one medical treatment without medicines. Laughing and being happy protects the heart and keeps mental stress down. Disability happens, some are disease-related and very progressive, some are stable, most of them are incurable but despite our disability it is possible to remain happy and smile. After going back to my country I want to do rise up with people.

Every year many people apply for the Duskin Program. I was the lucky one selected for the program. It means I have responsibilities to empower girls and women in Bangladesh, who did not get opportunities for education, who suffer unhygienic unhealthy life, without financial support or family support, always discriminated by society, facing lot of violence but remain voiceless because of disability, or because they are women or girls! Women and girls who want to go outside and to find them stalwart courage.

I want to empower women with disabilities in Bangladesh. I want to give support the children with disabilities who live under the tough circumstances. I want to work for inclusive education for all. Education is one key to success because all discriminations, prejudices and stereotypes against people with disabilities come from ignorance. If we share the same education from childhood, people’s superstitious thinking will vanish.

Bangladesh is a developing country where accessibility is one of the issues that make persons with disabilities vulnerable. I want to negotiate with public and private sectors about accessibility. In our country, there are disability laws and welfare services but the most critical law or welfare services are not properly in place so I would like to implement them.

Participation in this training was great opportunity for me. It was my dream to visit Japan. I am a Bangladeshi woman, I have a good educational background for achieving my higher education but it was so challenging. I had to fight from childhood to fight my disability despite a lot of pain but I couldn’t stop! I could not talk back to people because at the time I thought I had no right because I was a girl! It is not so easy in our country. There is no inclusiveness. When I went outside I felt so embarrassed, people did not treat me the same way as others. I was discriminated that is why I felt very secure staying home.

In those days, when I could not express my feelings to others, I had to fight every single moment, working hard. My dream is to see girls and women being empowered, to create inclusive education and see inclusive Bangladesh.

Because of the situation in Bangladesh it will not be easy to work towards these dreams but I will try my best. I am not going to stop.

These 10 months were so amazing, so wonderful. It was like a dream. I thank everyone very sincerely for giving me this opportunity, for thinking I am an eligible, capable participant.

I would like to give my sincere thanks to Duskin AINOWA Foundation for their great contributions to arrange such a lovely and warm program.

When I heard Duskin had been doing this study program for many years I was surprised! With this program, a lot of young people become leaders and they are doing very well in this field in their countries.

I would also like to give thanks to Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Toyama Sunrise and all respective leaders, members of organizations, teachers, and all my dear friends. Thank you everyone for your kind patience.