The Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD) was founded in 1931 as an organization for persons with disabilities. Today it is one of the largest advocacy organizations of persons with disabilities in Norway. NAD’s vision is a society for all, where persons with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as other people according to their own wishes, abilities and interests.
Since 1981, NAD has been working internationally, encouraging the broader development community to demonstrate solidarity with persons with disabilities in developing countries. Through international development cooperation with local partners, NAD contributes to strengthening the rights of persons with disabilities in countries such as Palestine, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. This is done by advocating for inclusive development programmes that reach all people in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2006, NAD entered into a partnership with the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) and Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU) to collaborate on an economic empowerment programme in Uganda. The linkage between microfinance institutions and the disability fraternity has resulted in a unique model for economic empowerment. This model is now widely recognized and requested by development stakeholders both within and outside Uganda.
In 2016 the economic empowerment programme was renamed the iSAVE Inclusive Economic Empowerment Programme (iSAVE). In the same year, NAD also established iSAVE in Malawi, together with The Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA).
In addition to promoting economic empowerment through iSAVE, NAD contributes to a more inclusive world through its international development cooperation support in the areas of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Inclusive Education, Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) and Organizational Development of Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs).