The Center for Strategic Communication, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development CESCOMPSUD, joined other CSOs in Bamenda over the weekend to celebrate the International Day of persons with disabilities under the theme, “Not all Disabilities are Visible.” Celebrated all over the world annually on the 3rd December 2020, this year's celebration took place at the CBC field where persons with disabilities otherwise known as persons with special abilities, showcased various talents such as craft, racing, football by Amputees amongst others.
This gesture of theirs, revealed to the population that, no matter their disability, they can practically exhibit any activity they so desire to do with the potentials and skills they have.
According to Fon Dieudonne, CEO of Think Big and also one of the organizers, people with disabilities should be given the chance to do what they desire. "We want to encourage those with impairments to join us to project their talents and show the world they can do great things towards building an inclusive society".
To him, this will create more awareness on the fact that persons with disabilities are not only at the receiving end, but can contribute in the betterment of the society. He added that people should call them during capacity building, arts and crafts, people should call them when they want to build a community bridge and people should call them during sporting events among others.
According to the executive director of CESCOMPSUD, Rosaline Obah, the main aim of such a day is to promote inclusiveness and a healthier community which is one of the objective of her organization.
''Our organization is out to ensure peaceful, sustainable and healthier communities and to have one, we cannot exclude persons with special abilities. Reasons why we have equally been putting hands on deck to ensure everything is available for this year's celebration."
The Executive Director intimated that a lot of work still has to be done and so the awareness won't stop as CESCOMPSUD has earmarked a series of activities which will enhance the need to create more awareness.
"In our Capacity Building, in our outreach in communities and in other activities CESCOMPSUD is going to ensure that, even if we have 100 people, group of persons with special abilities will be included in the activities. CESCOMPSUD is working hand in hand with organizations that are specialized with people with special abilities and they will not only benefit from training workshops but assistance since some are internally displaced.”
She used this occasion to invite all stakeholders to be inclusive in every engagement with the community beginning from the structural set up of their organizations that can always welcome persons with disabilities to benefit from ranging from employment opportunities, capacity building to income generating activities that will help them and families become self sustainable.
It should be noted that, the severity of one's disability does not determine their full potentials as such one could say diversity and inclusion requires value for every human despite their differences.
By Pechuqui Laurata.
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