Disability week kicks off in Omaheke
The Omaheke Disability Awareness Week was launched on 3 November to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The Omaheke Disability Awareness Week will continue to all constituencies in the region until 11 November.
Omaheke Regional Council Chairperson, Hon. Ignatius Kariseb said the initiative emanated from the ongoing Hope Amidst COVID-19 campaign which was launched on 11 September 2021 in Omitara.
“While spreading the message of hope and encouraging vaccine uptake, we also encourage access to other psychosocial and civil services, where we have seen many people with disabilities in our communities do not have access to services such as wheelchairs,” said Kariseb.
He said this has necessitated a grassroots level engagement with persons with disabilities to understand their basic needs in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Omaheke Regional Governor, Honourable Pijoo Nganate commended caretakers of people with disabilities. “I declare those taking care of people with disabilities as heroes and heroines,” he added.
He encouraged government officials to convey the needs and concerns of people with disabilities to the responsible authorities, adding that as regional leadership, they will commit to putting measures in place to ease the lives of people with disabilities.
Community Liaison Officer for Disability Affairs in the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Child Welfare, Kapuka Njembu said the office of disability affairs is there to ensure services are brought closer to you. “Young people with disabilities, there is hope and we are here to advocate for the employment of people with disabilities encourage them to participate in sports and establish community projects,” he added.
He expressed that it is unacceptable that people with disabilities are being led by people who are not disabled. “let us fight for our rights and not allow ourselves to be intimidated,” he emphasised.
Issues raised by people with disabilities include access to land for resettlement, employment opportunities and provision of accessible sanitation facilities by local authorise. They further appealed to the Regional Council to provide them with funding for microfinance projects.
A plea was also made to the education sector to ensure school infrastructure accommodate children with disabilities. People with disabilities encouraged one another to be courageous and hopeful in spite of discrimination from their communities.
