Africa-Press – South-Sudan. On Monday, people living with disability in the country came out guns blazing against some non-governmental organisations that they believe have been securing projects in their names but failing to extend the benefits to them.
Robert Ladu, Chairperson of the Visual Impairment Union in South Sudan, said the greatest number of people with disabilities continue to struggle to get opportunities yet while many NGOs receive funding in their names.
“We are pleased to work with our partners to achieve inclusivity, and that is fantastic, but when it comes to inclusion, it is not about talking it; it is about making it work,” Ladu stressed.
“Of course, a few groups talk about people with disabilities, but individuals with disabilities do not talk about themselves, and they take images of people with disabilities to claim that they are working with them, which is a shame,” he said.
That was a serious statement from the chairperson of the group for visual impairment, and it seems the group has fed up with some NGOs who often use their vulnerability to get funding for their benefits. Only a few of those NGOs have been making an impact on the lives of people with disabilities, but the rest are just doing
We have witnessed several petty workshops being organised by some NGOs either in Juba or the states for people living with disabilities just to deceive the donors into thinking that they are concerned about them.
In those workshops, policy statements are made and approved about their empowerment, but you hardly realise the outcomes. It is time for the NGOs that deal with people with disabilities to start doing real work for the public to realise the impact of their work and the money they get from the donors.
Holding several workshops cannot address the issues and needs of people with disabilities. They have to consult them on their needs instead of conducting workshop after workshop that in most cases, has not been helpful.
It is better to set up training centres for them to acquire life skills to improve their livelihoods. The NGOs dealing with people with disabilities can also provide some loans for those who wish to do business.
There is a need to discourage those workshops that do not have any impact on the livelihoods of the beneficiaries. A lot of money is being wasted on the facilitators for training them, and yet these are people who are so desperate and believe they have been neglected by the world, and they only need economic empowerment. So, there is a need to empower people with disabilities with financial support instead of workshops.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
