On July 31, VetsFirst hosted representatives of the Tigray Disabled Veterans Association (TDVA) from Ethiopia. TDVA is a non-profit, membership-based organization that was founded following the end of decades of military struggle in Ethiopia.
TDVA has more than 20,000 members with disabilities, of which, 10 percent are women. The mission of TDVA is, “To extensively provide integrated development and rehabilitation services to enable people with disabilities and their family members to become productive citizens and thereby achieve equal opportunity in life.”
During the meeting, VetsFirst discussed our history of work with disabled veterans and learned about TDVA’s focus and the challenges faced by people with disabilities in Ethiopia. TDVA mentioned two critical needs for veterans in Ethiopia–access to wheelchairs and more knowledge regarding prosthetics.