Gibson Seseru was an energetic teenager with ambitions of becoming a politician or business leader when he first noticed numbness in his legs. As the months progressed, he found it increasingly hard to walk, eventually requiring a wheelchair for mobility. Gibson found attending school difficult, eventually resulting in the heartbreaking decision to leave. Gibson recognised the lack of representation of people with disabilities at all levels of government. He decided to organise community outreach programs, advocated for improved support and utilised data collected from a PNG-Australia Partnership-supported survey to form the Bulolo Disability Association (BDA) - an organisation that serves as a voice for change. Gibson says that through the formation of the association, people with disabilities have developed a voice and are more aware of their rights to access government services including law and justice services. Bringing people with disabilities together to form an association was not easy. People have different disabilities and varying needs that all need to be addressed to ensure participation. The most significant challenge is people’s mindsets, negative attitudes, and the assumptions many make about people with disabilities. “Most people think we want money,” Gibson says. “The public’s view is shallow, so I clarify that this [association] is a voice and vehicle for change and not for charity.” “We advocate for equal treatment of all persons with disability. They are part of the community.” With support from Australia through the PNG-Australia Partnership, BDA assisted the Morobe Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee last year to organise training for people with disabilities on leadership and financial literacy, including a separate workshop designed to equip people with disabilities, their families and carers with the skills and knowledge needed to enrich their lives. There is much to do. Unemployment and illiteracy among people with disabilities is high. “I want to see change and persons with disabilities empowered through the association’s activities and projects we carry out,” he says. Gibson backs the National Government’s vision of ensuring that no one is left behind and says the BDA is keen to seize this opportunity to enable people with disabilities to contribute to the development of their communities, the district, and the province.