Africa-Press – Botswana. People with disabilities (PWDs) are capable of performing different activities and meaningfully contribute to the economy.
Speaking during a cycling training event hosted by Botswana Council for the Disabled (BCD), on Saturday in Kanye, Southern District Council deputy chaiperson, Mr
Mpho Dithole explained that ‘we are gathered here today to show the nation that people with disabilities could carry out all activities like other citizens’. He urged
Batswana not to hide PWDs , rather encourage and support them to partake in different sectors of the economy.
He assured attendees that government would continue to work tirelessly in an effort to ensure that people with disabilities were included in the mainstream economy.
Mr Dithole appealed to the business community to ensure that people with disabilities had easy access to their premises, adding that it would soon be a requirement when applying for business licenses.
“In the near future, if we find that you have not catered for their easy access to your businesses, your licenses will be withheld,” he warned.
He further said parking spaces in shopping malls reserved for PWDs should not be used by other people.
BCD executive director, Mr Moffat Louis highlighted that it was important for issues affecting the disabled to be addressed to ensure that they meaningfully took part in the economy.
“I therefore urge the disabled people to work together for their rights to be recognised and included in the mainstream economy,” he said.
He said BCD had realised that a lot of good policies for the disabled citizens were in place, however there was a challenge of implementation, hence their efforts to educate the nation about capabilities of PWDs.
Mr Moffat said they had therefore resorted to embarking on a pilot project to push for visibility, noting that they had three main objectives.
The first objective, he said, was that people with disabilities could successfully participate in sports.
Given an opportunity, he said a good number of PWDs could have excelled in sports, to the extent of partaking in Paralympics.
“These days we see Batswana making a living out of sport, but not PWDs, hence the need to ensure that they were included,” he added.
He said the second objective was that of leadership and political participation, noting that people with disabilities were seldom seen in leadership positions.
“We need more people with disabilities in leadership positions including political ones,” he said.
Women empowerment, he said was their third objective and they strive for women with disabilities to be visible and recognised in different sectors of the economy.
Inclusive Cycling International director, Mr Greg Milano said their aim was to show that all people, despite their disability could do anything they put their hearts to.
He indicated that they were happy to be working with BCD to ensure that the people with disabilities were included in all national activities.
Mr Milano said the project was sponsored by US Embassy, having bought bicycles and he further advised for them to continue being used and make contribution in positively changing the PWDs’ lives.
Mental health professional at Keitsholofetse Psyco-Social Support for Pregnant Women, Ms Pontsho Kodisa explained that human beings prospered through relationships, hence including PWDs in day to day activities brought positive influence in their lives.
She applauded BCD for organising the cycling training, adding that when people exercised there was a happy hormone produced, therefore urging them to keep on training.
Ms Kodisa underscored that there were a lot of social ills and it was important to exercise to ensure good mental health.
Speaking on behalf of Kgosi Malope II of Bangwaketse, Mpho Kenosi explained that being disabled did not mean a person could not contribute to the economy.
He said it was important for the PWDs to be included in different activities such as cycling.
He further thanked organisers and appealed to them to continue hosting such events for the PWDs, hoping for more cars to be designed in a way that would suite the PWDs.
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