It is no longer a strange sight for beggars, mostly People With Disabilities (PWDs) including the blind, crippled, deaf and dumb to risk their lives begging along the high ways in search of daily bread. ENE OSANG interacted with some PWDs in the FCT. Excerpts:
This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWDs) focuses on the role of technology in: Disaster Risk Reduction, and Emergency Responses. It also focuses on Creating Enabling Working Environments and Disability-Inclusive Sustainable Development Goals.
Observed every December 3, it seeks to make life more meaningful for People with Disability (PWDs) yet victims, especially the non-educated lament high level of discrimination and stigmatisation.
For Sadiya Umar, a crippled beggar, widow and mother of seven children, the best she can do to cater for herself and children is to beg. An indigene of Katsina state but resident in Gwagwalada in the FCT, Sadiya said she resorted to begging because no one would employ her in her condition.
“I live in a small house in a slum area in gwagwalada, I would like to work and be paid like I see the able-bodied do, but no one will accept me. Since I lost two husbands I can’t stay without doing anything as I have to feed my children. I am a fourth wife now with seven children, the eldest – a girl – helps me around, while the other four children are with my mum and relatives in Katsina state; and the last two are here with me.
When asked if she was born crippled, Sadiya said “though my mother told me I wasn’t born cripple, I have been crippled right from my childhood. If I stay idle no one will cater for me because even my family also lacks. At least I make N400 to N500 daily and we feed from that.
Another blind beggar who gave her name simply as Ummi, said she wakes up as early as 5: am for her 8-year old son to lead her to where she begs.
“I like coming out early to meet with people going to work; this is my job and I can’t joke with it and when lucky, I make up to N800 daily. If I don’t catch up with them early enough, I might not make money to feed my children,” she said.
With so many of them helpless in the streets, how is their right protected in the society? Does the government and society really care about this group of people? Is it enough to chase them off the streets? What should they do to also live freely in the society, considering that they are unfit for employment?
The Director of Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Victoria M. Akintaro, speaking exclusively to Blueprint decried the plight of PWD’s in the country. According to her, PWD’s – against all odds – work to cater for themselves since they realised the government can’t take care of their needs.
“PWDs have taken destinies into their hands to improve their lot because apart from realising that government alone cannot shoulder their responsibilities, they also realised that if they wait for help to come, it might take longer than necessary and when they see people all over the world make progress it is only natural for them to want to do something that will improve their lives.
“I will not say the government is not doing something, but like any other marginalised group there is a lot of room for improvement,” she said.
“It takes determination and interest on the part of PWDs to want to get out of the box, move from where they are to where they should be. On the other hand, many who want to move from where they are to where they want to be do not have the resources, and this is why government is very crucial,” she stressed.
Akintaro, who said the environment has to be conducive and right for PWDs, noted, that “for some time now we have been crying to the government to do the best it could to make our infrastructure accessible to PWDs. If buildings are not accessible how can they go to work or get education?
“There is so much hostility and aggression that PWDs are contending with, which must be removed through the promotion of rights of PWDs,” she lamented.
“We spoke about rights and they said the rights are there but for PWDs to access their rights takes a lot of gut. Do they have money to get a lawyer, do advocacy? Certainly no; they do their own beat but we want government to complement or take the lead in this sector.
Also commenting on IDPWDs, Akintaro said the theme for this year’s celebration; “Sustainable Development: the promise of Technology” is apt, adding that it is technology that has taken PWDs to where they are today, even as they need more.
“We have a lot of technology PWDs can use to enhance their productivity to even make jobs accessible to them. If these things are provided and procured I believe the world will be a better place for PWD.
“There are telephones that can be accessed by the visually impaired, with the use of Talks and some other devices that have speech. The same thing goes for computers like Jaws which are speech devices that make computer, internet accessible to the visually impaired – including some other devices that make telephone and other devices accessible to the hearing-impaired. If these things are procured, certainly it will be easy for employers of labour to consider PWDs for employment.
“Our expectations are that employers of labour should give PWDs a chance to prove themselves, they are not asking for token or handouts but inclusion academically, in areas of employment, vocation and every sphere of life once technology is accessible,” she said.
She urged the public to encourage PWDs by patronising them, so as to promote their products, adding that a lot of them are ready to go off the streets if they get capital to produce with the skills they have acquired.
“Trails have been produced for visually-impaired by the National Palm Crafts Centre for the Blind who cannot benefit from formal education, in Lagos state. We even have catalogue to show the list of things they can produce. If they are able to learn skills and produce things, the least we expect is to give them some capital to be able to buy materials to produce things that are marketable.
“Secondly, the market must be there for them as an avenue to sell up their products, it is in that way we can say they have no business on the streets.”
The Director, however, urged PWDs to maintain dignity and integrity, urging them to dress and speak in an approachable manner to earn the respect they desire.
“PWDs should as much as they can, educate the public humbly on how they should relate with them. They need to be calm, educate themselves and the society to let people know that they are intelligent. The intelligence is not to throw tantrums by accusing and challenging with negative insults because it is when they respect themselves that the society will respect them,” she said.