Advocating the right of people with disabilities: A foundation’s 25-year journey of giving hope, developing talents

In a world where inadequate knowledge as well as wrong traditional beliefs continues to affect the way people with disabilities are treated and many stigmatize people with disability as those that have suffered an irreversible misfortune and cannot amount to much in life, the fight to ensure the right of the physically challenged continues to be herculean.

Indeed, reports states that there are approximately 25 million people with disabilities in Nigeria, a significant chunk of the population that if empowered can aid the economic condition of the country especially considering that these set of people have a family member as primary care giver, stopping such from being fully engaged or productive and adding to the figure of people that are under employed.

In spite of enlightenment, advocacy and education however, few is still being done to ensure a smooth sail for people living with disabilities. And those that fight their cause do so out of passion because it is not an easy task. One of such organizations is the Christ Foundation, a ministry unto the handicapped which is anon governmental organisation established to minister specifically to the needs of people with physical challenges to enable them to be self generating and self sustaining.

Speaking on the activities of the organization, Mrs Omolola Alade, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees explained that the foundation started as a ministry for the disabled which later evolved into a nongovernmental association to minister to the needs of people with disability irrespective of tribe, religious or political affiliations.

“Initially, we went out to seek them; at the roadside or places that we think is not proper or dangerous for them and ask if there is anything we can do to help them and as members grew, they started bringing more people and those that are helped also go out to inform others.

“We not only give aids, we pursue a policy that guarantees people with physical challenge a conducive environment and opportunity for total development of their potential, organize support programmes that enhance the knowledge  and ensure they are empowered to be financially independent among many other activities. We have impacted so many people especially in our immediate environment,” she stated.

She explained that as a foundation, they are committed to the growth and continuity of the ministry as some of them are over 80 years of age and they want to build a succession plan so that this will continue for generations to come by giving the younger generation that now has the strength the opportunity to learn from their experiences and be a part of the vision.

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Also speaking, Mrs Rebecca Akinola, the oldest staff and financial secretary of the foundation also confirmed that the foundation has done a lot for the physically challenged. “We thank God because though it is not easy to get support outside, the Board of trustees of the Christ Foundation make life easy for us, they give us 100 per cent support in every area and they have been wonderful.

“We have been able to build a community of people that have learnt to look out for each other and depend on themselves, the foundation not only helps us but even our family members. Many of us got mobility aids, crutches and even grants, scholarships and resettlement help from the foundation,” Akinola said.

And because awareness is a major factor to the success of such a project as it involves raising funds and educating people to be open to understanding the plight of people with disability and their inclusion in political as well as socio-economic life and people coming to the knowledge that disability is a human right issue, Christ Foundation has decided to roll out the drums for succeeding in its ministry for 25 years.

Christ Foundation is set to next week enlighten the people on the need to stop eroding the right of the physically challenged people and reinforce the need to include them in the need to include them in issues of nation building.

Speaking on the 25th anniversary of the foundation and activities lined up for it, Adewale Adedeji, the President of the Christ Foundation stated that, “awareness is a big part of what we do and on the occasion of our 25th year of successful operations in building and empowering people with disability in the society, we felt that over the years, awareness of the plight of people with disability is still lacking in Nigeria.

“And for that reason, we have put together a public discourse that specifically describes the inclusion of people with disability in mainstream activities in Nigeria, we have lined up a couple of speakers to talk about issues that affect people with disability and inclusion in national activities, we are also going to showcase some of the skills and abilities in people with disability. We need to empower them and include them in mainstream activities of nation building,” he said.

Adedeji explained that the people chosen for the event are specially chosen for their expertise and passion to fight the cause of the under privileged. “The special guest of honour is Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; a lot of people do not know that she has an extensive background in rehabilitating underprivileged and homeless youths, she was specifically chosen for her background to lend her voice to the plight of people with disability and encourage their inclusion in national issues

“Also the first lady of Oyo state, Mrs Florence Ajimobi is known for her extensive background in fighting for the underprivileged and people with disabilities in the state while the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Atinuke Oshunkoya had always been part of our activities and had been a great voice in fighting for underprivileged people. Also, the main speaker is an entrepreneur, Mr Tonye Cole, the Executive Director of Sahara Group, he will talk about integrating people with disability in nation building with focus on entrepreneurship as an approach that can help the seamless inclusion of people with disability in nation building,” he concluded.

Speaking on the major challenge of the association, Dr Sade Ajasin stated that relating with the physically challenged is an emotional thing. “There are so many things that the Nigerian system needs to be put in place to ensure the disabled people have a level playing ground. The major issue is the way Nigerian see, relate and accept those who are physically challenged

“People see them as beggars even when they are looking for ways to improve themselves, people think they are beggars, that is the first thing people think and we need to correct the impression that every person with disability is a beggar. It is not in all cases that they are begging for handout; sometimes what they need is a support to become useful or a shoulder to cry on.

“They do not need handouts, what we need is to give them a chance. When it comes to physical disability, some were born with it but it could happen to anybody, we are all a step away from physical disability, an incident here, even a domestic accident. So if you put yourself in their shoes that if this happens to me, how would I want to be treated? Then, we will be able to relate with them the way we should. They don’t need pity, what they need is support,” Ajasin concluded.

And as Christ Foundation strives to let people know that the importance of working together to include people with disabilities in nation building, they express the hope that more people will take it as a social responsibility as every individual irrespective of physical ability should be given a chance at life.