Power Grant (institutional grant for carrying out the group’s mission)

About the group

Our mission is to fight for equal rights and opportunities for a group of people that is often marginalized and deprived of access to basic resources such as education, health care, or social support. We see how important it is for these people to have the opportunity to develop and integrate into society with equal rights.

The Patchwork Association is a group of migrant and refugee mothers raising children with disabilities in Poland. They are mostly single mothers taking care of children. Patchwork is co-created by 22 people, most of whom joined the group after receiving support from the organization. The members of the group have experienced challenges related to living in a foreign country on the one hand, and to caring for a child with a disability on the other. As self-advocates, Patchwork’s members know what their needs are and what the everyday life of women in their situation looks like.

We focus on support that covers both basic needs such as food, sanitary napkins, diapers and housing, as well as more complex issues: legalization of stay, self-advocacy, and the development of skills needed for work.

About the action

Patchwork strives to systematically support persons with disabilities (PWD) and their loved ones: from in-kind assistance and accompanying them in completing all formalities, to organizing Polish language courses and development workshops. Thanks to the Integration and Support Center, people using the association’s offer can meet, use the children’s clubroom, the workspace for adults, and rehabilitation services. The association also develops a social enterprise, thanks to which people with disabilities and their mothers will have the opportunity to start paid work. In cooperation with international organizations, they also conduct advocacy activities – they want to effectively oppose the exclusion and discrimination of people with disabilities with refugee/migrant experience and their relatives.

Grant amount: PLN 80,000

Photograph from the group’s own materials.