Central focuses on disabled

National

By HELEN TARAWA
Persons with disabilities are often neglected out of ignorance and leaders in Central are determined to change that.
Having attended a training of trainers for persons with disabilities survey-data collection workshop last week, the leaders have taken on the challenge to make a difference.
Vagi Daure from Rigo said persons with disability survived for the last 40 years without being recognised by government.
“I feel guilty because I knew that these people have been around me but I have done nothing about them,” she said.
“For the next 30 years, we should try to put them at the level that they are on par with the able citizens.
“This programme has now opened our eyes and has given us that opportunity to go back to more of our people who are ignorant of these people. Let us do the awareness and advocacy and put these people on the map of Central province.”
Another participant Luciano Mekeo from Goilala said: “Our brothers and sisters who are living with disabilities have been going through a long process of pain.
“They have never spoken up out of respect for us.
“We have never thought of them.
“The challenge now to the participants is that we have to collect accurate data within the short frame of time.
“We have to go through a painful process of putting the data correct so that at the end of the day, we will get the results done and our people living with disabilities can be included.”
The PWD survey-data collection workshop was attended by participants from Goilala, Kairuku-Hiri, Rigo and Abau districts in Central.