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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Jun 2011 : 15:00:01
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It's great to see a little progress and the disabled earning a living as opposed to begging in the street,well done to all those who have managed to change their lives.
http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7084
Young Person With Disability Sees Light at The End Of Tunnel
By Musa Barrow on 15-06-11
This is Sayet Wally, a native of Daru village (CRR) currently living in Basse. Sayet is 30 years old and his family's situation is classified under the low-income earner category, being peasant farmers. He is physically impaired and has been working with the Rural Support Organisation for the Disabled (RSOD) in Basse since 1999. He was once told that he was just wasting his time doing voluntary work with no allowance. Sayet says he was determined to see the fruits of his volunteering, which is the spirit of RSOD. Through a micro-finance project at RSOD, Sayet was able to rear animals in his backyard for a small income which then enables him to get married and have a child. He was then proud when he was appointed as youth coordinator and now is even receiving a small living allowance from RSOD, which is important to him as he is a person with disability who heads a family. He has achieved skills, knowledge and employment through his commitment to working with RSOD.
Sayet said that he has faced many challenges, such as unemployment, discrimination and other forms of difficulties in society. Sayet said his disability affects his life, but mentally he fits in the society. He said he feels the need to improve information that leads to eradicating stigma and makes a different image for people with disability. Sayet advises everyone to encourage people with disability to be part of the community at a district, regional, national and international level, as part of the decision making process, in order to meet Vision 2020, the MDGs and the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, especially the youth. He feels that the future for people with disabilities will be brighter if people can change their attitude towards people with disabilities, especially in rural areas.
Spotlight On The Gambia Association Of The Physically Disabled (GAPD) West Coast Region Branch
GAPD West Coast Region Branch, Brikama was reactivated in 2009 with the aid of the PSO project, a donor from the Netherlands. Prior to the coming of the PSO, the Branch was dormant and existed only in name since there were no activities being carried out. However with the coming of the PSO project, the members were remobilized and they had to choose a new leadership to run their affairs as the old executive was virtually not functioning. The former leader had traveled and there was no one behind to coordinate the activities of the branch. The reactivation of the branch was therefore a welcome move which paved the way for the revival of the branch and the subsequent reconstitution of the executive.
Following this we had a series of trainings on advocacy, how to run a branch, membership survey, proposal writing, leaflet development etc which were all supported by PSO through the provision of funds and expertise.
With all that has been learned from the above trainings, the branch was able to do the following;
Negotiate the acquisition of a piece of land on which to build an office and workshop for the branch.
Conduct advocacy on the community radio on various issues affecting the lives of persons with disabilities such as accessibility, employment, membership drive and education, health among others.
Income generating activities like soap making and tie and dye. Sponsored walks around the town of Brikama to raise funds.
Serreh Manneh, Role Model
Serreh is about 35 years old. She is married and has two daughters. The family lives in their own compound in Brikama. Serreh is a Grade 12 graduate though she has not been able to secure employment in the formal sector.
After leaving school, Serreh was entirely dependent on begging in the streets to earn her living despite her education and support from her family.
Following the restructuring of the branch she was elected as the Vice President. She benefited from most of the trainings mentioned earlier on including the income generating activities of soap making and tie and dye. This has changed her life for the better as she now earns her living through these activities which she does at her home. She therefore no longer goes out to beg in the streets but lives a fairly independent life at home where she stays most of the time taking care of her children, doing her work thus sparing her the degrading act of street begging. Part of her earnings from her work is used to pay her children's school fees, buy uniforms and taking care of medical bills.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 15 Jun 2011 15:00:38 |
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