Problem: Environmental problems are adversely affecting people with disabilities but they are often left out of the discussion on climate change and other environmental issues. People with disabilities need to be engaged not only in the discussion but in alternative livelihoods activities that would reduce the impact of climate change on them as individuals and as an association.

Some of the impact of climate change on people with disabilities heat, disasters, draught and often people with disabilities cannot provide what is required to cushion the effects or are unable to take action. Unable to provide for cooling, their homes may not be very strong structurally.

Work and Employment is a fundamental human right that should be enjoyed by citizens in any country, but it cannot be said that persons with disabilities are always given the opportunity to do so. This minority group, over world the, continues to be deprived and denied this right, in spite of the fact that they have demonstrated that they possess the abilities, capabilities, skills and capacities to be productively and meaningfully engaged.
Physical, environmental, attitudinal, and social barriers as well as discriminatory practices, severely affect their ability to be gainfully employed and as a result, many remain liabilities of their families and the state.

There is a great need to overturn traditional views, misconceptions and perceptions in relation to the employability skills, potentials and abilities of persons with disabilities. Since this situation has created many hardships for these individuals.
This was among the many reasons behind the establishment of the disability movement in Dominica, which itself has created employment for a few persons with disabilities.
DAPD mobilizes resources through various means, referred to as ?Social Partners?. These funds are usually acquired for short term or specific projects thus affecting our ability to organize activities on a long term basis with the impact of climate change there is even a more pressing need for more sustainable action and projects.

End Results:
One of our major goals is to become self-sustaining, and in order to do so, we are working on establishing a Small Business Enterprise cognizant of the fact that our lack of financial resources can be remedied through the creation of this enterprise. This would result in increased opportunities for employment, social integration and vocational stability for many persons with disabilities for whom employment would be created.
The process is now on to identify projects that could be viable, and to this end, a Planning session and Brainstorming Workshop is being proposed.
This proposal also seeks to address the participants of people with disabilities in climate change awareness issues. It looks at the places of people with disabilities with regards to the environment and will link business options with addressing some of our environmental problems.
This would be a special Sustainability project that demonstrates the sort of independence that we want our people with challenges to emulate and aspire to

2. OBJECTIVES:
1. To increase understanding of climate change and related issues among persons with disabilities.
2. To empower persons with disabilities to adapt to climate change impact.
3. To identify viable sustainable development projects for the Association and individual members
4. To examine and understand factors in the development and sustainability of a small business enterprise.
5. To build skills among members to enable participants to understand, manage and operate a viable business enterprise

3. Linkages:
This project is directly linked to the climate change adaptation and mitigation national priorities and programmes, diversification programmes, education and capacity building thrusts and government programme to develop small business enterprises.