Africa-Press – Seychelles. About a 20-year-old young woman and man who live with different types of disabilities yesterday morning met with the President’s wife, First Lady Linda Ramkalawan and also a member of the Assembly who lives with a disability, the Honorable Naddy Zialor, where they shared the good things that they doing and wanting to do and also their difficulties in life and asking for help and support to ease their situation.
This meeting, which took place in the hall of the National Council for Children (NCC) Bel Eau, came after a request by this group of people to meet Mrs. Ramkalawan in person and the National Association of People Living with Disabilities organized the meeting to coincide with the day international for this special group of people who celebrate on December 3.
This group of people who are all adults and are facing different types of difficulties in their lives every day, took the opportunity to interact with Mrs. Ramkalawan and Mr. Zialor and brought to their attention the different types of difficulties, financial abuse and abuse that they are doing face among others still just because they have a disability and society despite all the progress and development that has been done, many families and other people still do not change their attitude towards people who have a disability.
At the same time, society is also slow to put in place the necessary facilities and infrastructure to facilitate the life and movement of people with disabilities.
Maggie Estico, who has been in a wheelchair for most of the year, told of the difficulties she has had to move and do transactions like any other person because of the lack of access for wheelchairs to public places and buildings.
It was with much attention, regret and bloodshed that Mrs. Ramkalawan and Mr. Zialor listened to the testimonies of the people who took the opportunity to share their hearts with these two people who have certain influence in society with the hope that they will be able to bring peace comfort and help them find a solution that they have been looking for for a long time.
On his side Mrs. Ramkalawan tried her best to console the group of people through her words and together with Mr. Zialor they promised to bring all those concerned to the attention of the concerned authorities.
Difficulty for many of you who want to work is getting a job; Those who want to do Spa, clean, answer the phone have been rescued and for now Mrs. Ramkalawan and Mr. Zialor have explained to them that they must register through the employment department in order to gain access to the training that is available but they are still calling for people in the concerned departments give these people a sense and not their physical appearance.
For George Sinon known as ‘Bolot’, he says that it has been 8 years since the house where he and other members of his family lived burned down and since then they have been going back and forth to find a place to stay.
He told about their suffering, like Sandra, Andre and Bernard, that they also have no place to stay and their families do not want them.
There is one among them who at dawn turns to the village and does small jobs where he can and at night he goes to sleep in the night shelter North East Point, there are those who sleep on the lancet and in the store. All these situations among many others, the association together with the social department and the family are trying to find ways to help and find a permanent solution for these people.
The head of the national association of people living with disabilities, Jourdane Ernesta, says that it has been several years since they have been pushing to get a residence for people with disabilities who have no place to stay. Mrs. Ernesta says that the members of the association are willing to help work with these people when they get this residence.
On the other hand, there are many among these people who have a lot of talent like Ibrahim Dodin who despite the challenges is in a job, but others are not so lucky and there are two of them who are good at handicrafts like Andy Leon, Antoine Asba and Maureen Constance who can do some nice work but there is no place to put it for sale.
At the end of the meeting with these two personalities, Maureen Constance and Antoine Asba presented Mrs. Ramkalawan with some of the work they had done.
In the meantime, Mrs. Ernesta says that several other activities have been organized for people with disabilities during the coming days and this includes bringing a small gift for those who are in the yard and cannot walk.
Our selection of portraits shows some strong moments of this meeting with Ramkalawan’s wife.
For More News And Analysis About Seychelles Follow Africa-Press
