Introduction
My name is Eddy Oko-Jaja, the founder of CASS. The organization started in July 1998 when I had just completed my Law Degree at London Guildhall University now known as London Metropolitan.
I studied both Law and Politics in order to confront injustice and oppression of our world through helping myself and helping others.
Read more about my Studies and Charity work
Disabled After Car Crash
I arrived in England for medical rehabilitation following an automobile crash whereby I sustained spinal injuries in 1990. This left me paralysed from the waist down. The treatment was sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria where I worked as a Research officer, in The Federal Ministry of Transport.
At first I received medical treatment at Ijebu Ode State Hospital and later at National Orthopedic Hospital.
Training for Disabled
I received leadership training designed for disabled people co-ordinated by Leadership Consortium and British Telecommunication. The Consortium was funded by Midland Bank - now HSBC, Sainsbury, and a host of others including the Home Office.
Accessible vehicles
I wanted to utilise my new acquired skill and give something back to the society of Britain. I helped to find MOVE mobility vehicle charity to help disabled people to move around in accessible vehicles.
The first service was formed to provide telephone advice and information assistance from my home. At that time I was living in Islington, London.
The early days of CASS only required use of my legal and advice skills to help people on the telephone but with the success of CASS it then became necessary to meet some clients face-to-face to deal with their casework. The Mayor of Islington linked me to a local group funded by Islington Council who offered me a place from where I could deliver the advice service to the local community.
From a few volunteers including my wife meeting the needs of the people in the community CASS grew substantially requiring a management committee to be formalised so that CASS could meet its long term objectives. The management committee realised that for CASS to reach its long term goals funding would need to be achieved and since it's forming we have been successful in obtaining a major grant from the Big Lottery in 2005. No doubt CASS has a lot of work to do and everyone involved with CASS continues to do their best in order to achieve much more than we have achieved so far.
The successes of CASS and the numerous assistance and support we have offered the communities where we operate speak for itself. We therefore, invite comments and messages of support from every member of those communities, family friends, or well wishers who have benefited from the work of CASS. Please contact us and state what service or benefit you or your friend/relation have received from us and also advise us of what we do well or suggestions on how we might do things better.
Kind regards
Eddy Oko-Jaja
