This campaign aims to raise an adapted van with 9 seats, which allows us to continue working with children and young people by raising awareness and informing them, in order to achieve a more just and inclusive society.
For years, the APD - District Delegation of Braga has been promoting and working with people with disabilities, always with the aim of supporting their insertion in society, especially through its wheelchair basketball team. This activity has allowed many to integrate or reintegrate into the labor market, into society, as well as improve physical and psychological well-being, among others. This sport has conquered the hearts of the people we work with and has boosted the integration of each player at various levels, with the team currently having players competing at national and international level (athletes of the National Wheelchair Basketball Team). This sport brought about clear and unavoidably positive changes in the life of each player, but there was also a constant concern that went beyond the sporting aspect, the clear need to bring this modality to the attention of the youngest and allied to this objective, to carry out awareness actions with the children of today, the men and women of tomorrow. The APD thus wanted to take to all corners of the country, to hundreds of schools and thousands of children, the banners of inclusion, resilience, the desire to do more, proving that people with disabilities do not have to live on the margins of society. . There is no lack of will to continue our biggest project, the means are lacking, namely the lack of a van adapted to the needs and times in which we live. Help us show young people that disability is not the end of anything, help us shape the society of the future, break down the barriers of exclusion, for us and for everyone! That in the future we will be able to promote a society of equal rights and opportunities.
The time has come to ask for help, our van is more than 20 years old, although we keep it controlled by inspections and maintenance, regular and extensive use does not allow us to safely maintain the frequency of use because in the same way as our associates need support to get around, our project also needs new “wheels”. It is with pride that we share and we are aware that it has led us to meet thousands of young people, but it is underlining the weight of the mission it has carried for years, so it is essential to acquire a new van, adapted to the needs of people with disabilities and goals we set ourselves.
We want to maintain this action, which starts with a positive and direct practice with and with young people, but which applies to life and this campaign will allow the reach of this support for the van.