The association of persons with cerebral palsy and children’s palsy “Will for life” from Velika Plana was founded in 2003, and this year we are celebrating a significant jubilee – 20 years of existence and work of the Association.

Years of work, effort and commitment to improving the position of people with disabilities are behind us. We have worked diligently, and we are still working to remove all the barriers and prejudices that rule about them. Accessibility was the initial priority that we successfully addressed and made Velika Plana accessible for all its citizens who are faced with some kind of disability.

Today, all institutions, residential buildings, public purpose buildings, schools, etc. are absolutely available and functional. We have tried to help people with disabilities to exercise all their rights that belong to them by law. We soon opened the “Lane” Day Care Center for children, young people and adults with physical disabilities and intellectual disabilities, licensed that service and began to actively provide it. Even today, that Service is in operation, and 12 to 15 users are accommodated half-day in the Day Care Center, with whom professional staff work. In addition to this service, we have been licensed to provide the service Personal companion of a child and Personal assistance for people with disabilities, which we actively provide in the territory of the municipality of Velika Plana, and periodically in other municipalities in the territory of Serbia.

The “Heart in the palm of your hand” club was also opened, where people with disabilities socialize and work – occupational therapy is promoted through the production of decorative candles, icons and magnets. Our next step is to establish a service for independent living, Housing with support. For this purpose, with the help of parents of persons with disabilities, the Local Self-Government and numerous donors, we have adapted a facility called “Sun House” which is habitable for 11 users who will use this service. A Hall for processing and drying fruits and vegetables was built and fully equipped with machines for work within the facility. With the help of various programs provided by the NES (National Employment Service), we employed a large number of disabled people and work assistants who work in the hall on the production, packaging and distribution of osmotically dried cherries, pears, plums and apple chips. We market finished products and they can be found in markets throughout our country. By opening this hall, we opened the way for employment of people with disabilities and increasing their level of equality in society and independence. We have implemented countless projects with domestic and foreign donors.

We have great cooperation with the Local Self-Government and all relevant institutions at the level of Velika Plana and beyond. We regularly organize one-day and multi-day trips for our users, and we try to be represented in the media and on social networks in order to present our work and raise awareness among citizens about the group we represent.