Disabled Bolivian activists and allies of DPAC from the campaigning organisation Nueva Esperanza have been hit hard by Covid-19. A number of our friends are or have been very ill including Felizia Ali Ramos and Marcelo Vazquez Bracamonte who came over to speak at DPAC’s International Solidarity Conference in July 2018. Most recently Feliza took part in DPAC’s online meeting on Eugenics, Covid-19 and International Solidarity.
We are asking for donations to help them keep going. See below for details on how to give, plus links to films so you can see the campaigners in action.
‘Hello, im Feliza Ali.
For the past 22 years I’ve been working for the dignity and freedom of people with disabilities in Bolivia. Its been a long and steep road, but the strength of my colleagues has always kept me going.
9 years ago, I discovered the principle of Independent Living, and it has transformed my life. It gave me strength and inspired me to share this philosphy with all my colleagues.
After a massive joint effort The Centre ‘Nueva Esperanza’ (New Hope) was born.
New Hope was launched to empower us, people with disabilities, by providing practical equipment to enable independent daily living, and give us power to decide over our own lives.
We now have more than 50 colleagues who have reclaimed their dignity, self-determination and love for life, thanks to what they have learned through the centre. There are many more who have been inspired by our work.
Unfortuantely, we were about to expand our centre and work, when Covid-19 hit.
It has hit us very hard, and now the work the work of many years is about to disappear
We are a grassroots organisation that self-finances through fundraising events. The lockdown has stopped all our actvities for more than four months and the bills are piling up daily.
We are counting on you to help save our dream.
We need to raise £4500.00 UK pounds (Or $5,400 US dollars) to survive until December 2020.
Currently we are struggling to cover medications and food, as well as wages for Personal Assistants.
Your support can truly help save our lives.’
Disabled People Against The Cuts (UK) are collecting donations on behalf of Nueva Esperanza (New Hope).
If you can contribute, you can donate by bank transfer to:
Disabled People Against The Cuts
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Account No: 65454743
Or donate using Paypal at: https://dpac.uk.net/
Important: please use ‘NEW HOPE’ as a reference for any donations to Nueva Esperanza
Learn more about the roots of Nueva Esperanza and the Disabled people’s movement in Bolivia by watching the documentry film: ‘The Fight’:
(Content warning: Scenes of police violence and references to death)
To watch DPAC’s online meeting on Eugenics, Covid-19 and International Solidarity featuring a range of disabled speakers from across the world including Feliza:
