The Physically-Challenged Development Foundation (PDF) is a voluntary organization in Bangladesh dedicated to empowering the disabled community. It was founded in 2008 and now has over 3,000 volunteers working across 8 branches. PDF aims to promote social awareness of disability issues, ensure equal rights for the disabled, and create job opportunities. Notable projects include Summer Challenge, which organizes teams in community service competitions, and Project Lighthouse, which provides educational support services to blind students. PDF believes that empowering youth and the disabled community can help create positive social change in Bangladesh.

1. PHYSICALLY-CHALLENGED
DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION-PDF

2. a
AIMS OF PHYSICALLY-CHALLENGED DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
To create social awareness about disability
Ensure that the disabled in our society have equal rights
Create a skilled work force within the disabled community
Promote active citizenship, community service and volunteerism to
create young leaders
AWARENESS. EMPOWERMENT. CARE. ACTION

3. A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT, Mizanur Rahman
Introducing everyone to PDF
Physically-challenged Development Foundation”
(PDF) is a voluntary & charitable organization
dedicated to changing the lives of the disabled. It
promotes active citizenship and strongly believes in
youth involvement and women’s’ empowerment.
PDF started its journey from Jahangir Nagar
University in 2008. Today PDF has completed more
than hundred projects. PDF started 2011 by launching
PDF SUMMER CHALLENGE, which was the biggest
breakthrough. Today PDF is a family of thousands of
well wishers working together for the greater benefit
of our country.
In this journey to serve humanity, we welcome your
participation. Support the physically challenged,
support our work with whatever you can – your good wishes, your prayers, your time, your
money, your good advice and your networks. Our call is not only for those who are well off;
it’s for every single person who still has accountability to his heart.
Because, we believe, in every age, there are people who strive for positive change and
people who just witness the changes being made. Which do you choose to be – Change-
maker or Silent spectator?
PDF is not just a traditional
organization; it is the name of a
movement; a moral movement; a
movement to find out if, in the
extreme hustle and bustle of
modern life, our hearts are
still alive
– Barrister Naser Alam, a proud patron
of PDF

4. WILL YOU BE THE CHANGEMAKER OR SILENT SPECTATOR?
Summary of PDF.
After its founding in 2008 by Mizanur Rahman Kiron, PDF is a well known organization in
community service that has often been applauded by Valerie Taylor- founder of CRP.
Since then, PDF has grown tremendously and is currently organized into 8 branches in the
country covering many of the leading universities. Our network also includes students from
lots of Bengali and English medium schools. A total of nearly 3,000 volunteers have worked
for PDF in our journey so far.
The organization has fought for the rights of disabled people since its inception. We have
regularly held awareness and fundraising projects and have also succeeded in imposing
housing allowances and quotas for disabled students in Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar
University.
A FEW PROJECTS AT A GLANCE
LEARN from the some of the best
people in community service
EXPERIENCE how impacting the
lives of others can impacts yours
Take ACTION to bring about
positive change
Project Summer Challenge Project Stop Project Acceptance Project Healthy Heart
Project Sunrise Project Mita Project Placement Project Sleep Tight
AND MANY MORE…

5. WE BELIEVE IN A BETTER FUTURE
The dreams that keep us going.
PDF as an organization does not give the guarantee that we will succeed in changing the lives
of disabled people in this country. We cannot guarantee with surety whether our goal of
building that perfect utopia will ever come true. But what we guarantee is that we shall most
definitely try.
We believe that the fate of Bangladesh tomorrow is being decided today by how her youth is
being nurtured. Therefore we strongly encourage the participation of our youth in activities
that will benefit the nation and advocate youth-led community service. We are not naïve
enough to believe that simply participating in our projects will make one a future leader. But
what we do believe is that it will certainly arouse responsibility in them and create inside
them a feeling that something needs to be done to improve our society and that they are
entirely capable of bringing the change that they have always dreamed of.
Although we have come far since our founding in 2008, there are still many miles to go. PDF
promises to strive relentlessly towards that goal- for we have discovered through helping
others that there is no greater glory than that in helping a person smile.
An Example among hundreds of others: Abdur Rahim is a blind student of
Jahangirnagar University. In his initial years, he faced a lot of problems in his
academic life and even missed out on some exams as the university had no
facilities for another writer to assist him. However, PDF intervened and
provided him with all facilities he needed in order to make his life better and
more dignified. The gratitude of people such as Abdur Rahim is our greatest
achievement so far.
Jolly Kowser was an
ambitious woman who
lost her vision in 2004.
When her world went
dark, PDF arose as her
light of hope
“I am really grateful to PDF for my
present job at BGMEA. Here I am
working as a Senior Executive. To work
properly, a disabled person only needs
support and a friendly environment. I
dream of a society where disabled
people can enjoy their rights in all
sectors. Thanks PDF for their support
to help us live with dignity.”

6. Advisory
body
Central
Executives
Branch
Executives
Volunteers
Branch
Executives
Volunteers
Branch
Executives
Volunteers
Rajshahi
Savar
Chittago
Dhaka
“Before I joined community service, I
thought it was only a responsibility-
now I see how fun it can be! Here I
have discovered myself through
helping others. I wholeheartedly thank
my family at PDF for creating a
platform to serve the nation.”
Shariq Bin Nasim is a
dedicated volunteer of
PDF and President of
PDF Gulshan Branch.
He considers PDF to
be his family
A FAMILY OF DREAMERS
The Organizational
Structure
Branches in Dhaka
THE 8 BRANCHES OF PDF:
1. Jahangirnagar
University
2. Dhaka University
3. North South University
4. Bangladesh University
of Professionals
5. Gulshan
6. Uttara
7. Chittagong University
8. Rajshahi University

7. The organization has fought for the rights of disabled people since its inception. We
have regularly held awareness and fundraising projects and have also succeeded in
imposing housing allowances and quotas for disabled students in Dhaka University and
Jahangirnagar University.
SUMMER CHALLENGELet’s compete to end the problems in our society
Last year’s Summer Challenge was a huge success. 15 teams competed for the
glory of having served the people best over a period of 45 days. But Summer
Challenge is more than just a competition. It is a remarkable journey that will
change your perspective to life forever.
This year, we bring back to you PDF’s main event. Summer Challenge is back- its
bigger, its better. So be with us in our journey of smiles and tears:
Summer Challenge 2012

8. v
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
Summer Challenge 2012
For the next 45 days from the workshop, 15 teams with 10 people each will compete to bring
positive change to our society. Last year over 1000 physically-challenged or underprivileged
people benefited from Summer Challenge.
Summer Challenge is PDF’s one of the main events and biggest social service events among
the youth of the country. The project also raises awareness among society and encourages
young people to take up voluntary service to the nation. We believe what Bangladesh will be
tomorrow is being decided by her youth today. Summer Challenge will no doubt help in
creating leadership among the youth.
PLAN to realize the dream
of a better Bangladesh
IMPLEMENT your plans to be the
change we seek
Earn honor, RESPECT, recognition
and above all- satisfaction

9. PROJECT LIGHTHOUSEA light of hope when the world goes dark
The world of the blind is
said to be dark.
Yet we dare to differ in
opinion.
While we cannot
promise to succeed…
We promise to strive to
be their light in the dark
Photo Credit of Jonboy from- Deviantart

10. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
Project Lighthouse
According to a recent survey, around 2000 disabled Students are currently studying in various
levels – from primary to Universities – around the Dhaka city. The amount rises to a much
higher level, if students with other disabilities are included in this list.
As far as we have seen the main problem for the Physically-Challenged students is to bear
their minimum cost for their educational purposes. Unable to fulfill that need, their life ends
up in frustration and ultimately their educational career ends in the halfway.
The ultimate vision of PDF is to create a group of talented and well educated generation
among this class of Physically-Challenged students. So our plan is to provide full technical and
logistical support for them. Services such as Braille Printing, Language teaching, IT course and
other Cultural Courses will be taught to them at a free of cost.
 To provide free printing service to 15 Visually Impaired Students monthly
 Computer training service: 15 students per three months is getting certificate
courses
 Language Club: 15 students will get the chance to enroll in a 6 month long language
course (Is not start yet)
Whatever barriers will be there in front of us, still we will remain hopeful. Because we know,
there are people out there who will be ready to help us – with the best thing they can.
The initiative is applauded
by Sister Valerie Taylor of
CRP
Many blind students are getting
benefits from the project
One of our trainee (Usha) and trainer
(Lucky) of Computer Course

11. .
.
.
Photo News
We are the ones we have been waiting for
WE ARE THE CHANGE THAT WE SEEK
Contact Us:
Mobile: +880 1718 072965
E-mail: info@pdfbd.org
www.pdfbd.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pdfbd