Alumni Disability Advisory Group
With the aim to support and improve disability inclusion practices across the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia program, an Alumni Disability Advisory Group has been established, consisting of Australia Awards alumni from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In addition to highlighting their own contributions and leadership stories, the Group provides a platform for discussions surrounding key issues on disability inclusion and build on these synergies to seek innovative solutions to eliminate barriers.
The Group works in collaboration with the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia program during the Scholarship cycle to provide support to people with disability and create a network that helps build the confidence of people with disability to apply for Australia Awards Scholarships.
Members of the Alumni Disability Advisory Group
Alumnus Md Hafiz Hasan is a Senior Monitoring Officer working at the Department of Agricultural Extension, Faridpur. In addition to his role at the Department, he also works to economically empower people with disability.
Born and raised in the outskirts of Bangladesh, Hafiz was a spirited youth roaming fields and exploring jungles when he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis in 2009. Also known as axial spondyloarthritis, it is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that, over time, can cause vertebrae in the spine to fuse, resulting in a hunched posture.
Refusing to be limited by his disability, Hafiz continued to strive for himself and eventually opportunities emerged. In 2017, he commenced a Master of Environment and Sustainability at Monash University with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.
Being the adventurer that he is, Hafiz made the most of his time in Australia. He delved into deep-water dives, soared in a hot air balloon and rediscovered himself as he relearned to dream, despite the physical challenges caused by his disease.
Alumna Tara Devi Giri serves as a Teacher / Inclusive Education Coordinator at Tendruk Central School in southern Bhutan. She leads the Special Education Needs Team in her school to support the development of tailored programs for students with disabilities, with the goal of providing education for all students—with or without disability—in an inclusive setting.
Tara is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and works closely with inclusive education organisations such as Ability Bhutan Society and the Disabled People’s Organization of Bhutan.
Tara completed a Master of Education (Inclusive and Special Education) at Monash University in 2016 with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.
Alumna Mariyam Ashfa Hamdi is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and disability rights in Maldives. She is currently working in the Disability Rights and Wellbeing section at the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
Ashfa’s academic journey with Australia Awards began in 2014 when she undertook a Bachelor of Inclusive Education and Disability Studies at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney. She then completed a Master of Disability Studies from the University of Leeds. With over three years of experience as a Special Education Needs teacher and a commitment to promoting inclusive communities, she is an active member at Villijoali, a community non-government organisation dedicated to creating inclusive, resilient and caring environments for marginalised groups.
She also serves as a psychological first aider and trainer at the Maldivian Red Crescent and recently joined Special Olympics Maldives to promote mental wellbeing and equitable opportunities in sports for individuals with intellectual disability. Ashfa is a firm upholder of the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’, advocating for a society that truly celebrates diverse perspectives.
Alumnus Pallav Pant is the Founder and Chairperson of Atullya Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that primarily engages in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation. It also works in the areas of livelihoods, inclusion and disability, and knowledge management. When Pallav was 14 years old, an incident in Kathmandu left him with a physical disability. Later, as an adult, he identified the need for an organisation led by a person with disability to support the welfare of people in Nepal’s disability community.
A strong advocate for the inclusion of people with disability in the development process, Pallav’s efforts have resulted in the implementation of accessible public toilets in safe spaces. He has also conducted a series of discussions related to Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and organised various drills and first aid programs involving first responders to spread awareness about the issues people with disability face during disasters.
Alumna Saira Ayub is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Government Graduate College for Women in Lahore. She has used a wheelchair since childhood due to muscular dystrophy, and is a passionate advocate for disability rights. ‘Let’s celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of people with disability and reaffirm our dedication to a world where everyone, regardless of ability, can actively participate in shaping a sustainable and equitable future,’ she says.
Saira received an Australia Awards Scholarship in 2020 to undertake a Master of Education (Leadership and Management) at Flinders University. In her role as a disability rights activist, she has authored many short stories about social and disability issues and plans to write a book about her Australian experience as a student and person with disability, specially focusing on accessibility and attitudes in Australia.
Alumnus Supun Jayawardena is a Research Consultant at Verité Research. With a wealth of experience (including six years as a Legal Analyst at Verité Research and a background as a tutor in Criminal Law and Constitutional Law at the University of Colombo), Supun is an internationally recognised authority in the field of disability rights. He has published and lectured extensively on the subject, and presented at the World Blind Union’s general assembly on employment opportunities for those with vision impairments.
Currently, Supun serves as a member of Sri Lanka’s National Council for Persons with Disabilities and has actively contributed to key legislative initiatives, including the revision of national policies. Supun’s dedication to disability rights extends to his roles in various organisations, such as the Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Council for the Blind, Disciplinary Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Council of Visually Handicapped Graduates, and the Sri Lanka Visually Impaired Cricket Association. Acknowledging his dedication to the visually impaired community in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Council of Visually Handicapped Graduates gave him their International White Cane Day award.
Supun completed a Master of Human Rights Law at the University of Melbourne in 2023 with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.
Previous Alumni Disability Advisory Group Webinar material
In March 2022, the Alumni Disability Advisory Group held its first webinar to discuss their post Australia Awards Scholarship experience and shared their recommendations with the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia Program on supporting scholars and alumni with disability. The COVID-19 pandemic brought not just unprecedented challenges for them but also highlighted their strengths and resilience to adapt and overcome these challenges, which they share during the discussion. The members spoke about their lives after completing their Scholarships, their contributions to their countries upon return and leadership stories, with an aim to inspire Australia Awards alumni, scholars and future applicants.
The recording and transcript of the webinar have been made available in the below link for Australia Awards alumni, scholars and future applicants looking to learn more about support available for people with disability.