We Can Do It -development, disability and determination

‘We can do it’ is a celebration of the knowledge that the solution, the possibility to achieve, is often within ourselves, or our own community. I found Vietnam to be the role-model for 'we can do it' attitude and this is reflected in one of the real-life events I retell.‘We Can Do It’ is written for those who want to read about people and events in International development, even if they are topics which would not be in technical textbooks for purists. It is a determined look at disability and development in tough circumstances of Africa and Asia. Some events are not for the squeamish. Some are medical and technical, some of social concern and development, and some are amusing or poignantly personal. The experiences that this book recounts took place over about twenty three years, drawn from very many locations. They are the result of travelling assignments in more than thirty countries, managing development programmes for people with disabilities, and in particular those living with eye diseases, blindness and low vision. Everything was done in partnership with local social welfare groups, faith groups, and governments who strive to make their own world a better place. Much of my professional work was about managing technical issues, balance sheets and designing effective programmes which sustainably addressed poverty. But much of my time was also about honouring people and their ambitions for the future; seeing their situations with the discernment that comes through dedication brought about by vocation. You know how it is, people only want to hear the best stories: whether it is tales of an exotic holiday in the sun, or retelling pranks from an unlikely escapade, most people prefer the highlights. With more than my fair share of incredible stories to tell, I can come up with a tale to fit most conversations; some good, some bad and some embarrassing. Then the difficulty is deciding which stories to tell and which ones to keep silent.The solution was to produce this book, a reworked version of two previous books; 'Mission In Action' and ‘Sight For Sore Eyes’ which are books mainly about occurrences while working in Christian mission. However, this edition, ‘We Can Do It’, has been rewritten and complied with the secular reader in mind and references to matters of faith are absent unless vital to understanding of the context. Though the focus of this book is not religious issues, it is inevitable that associated topics arise from time to time. After all, such things, and many associated cultural complexities, are of great importance in the daily lives of much of the world’s population and are thus unavoidable.The chapters and events did not happen in this order, and not always on the same occasion. Some are a mixture of circumstances as suggested by real happenings, blended together in order to form a coherent whole. Identities of individual people have mostly been obscured, to preserve privacy.