By Chris Agbo,
Break The Cycle is project of Disability Right Advocacy Center (DRAC) funded by UKaid through CBM. The project is focused on tackling violence through supporting women and girls with disabilities to become socially, politically and economically empowered. The project targeted five key areas such as Education, Community Inclusion, Socio-economic Empowerment, Leadership and Civil Society and it is being implemented in the six areas councils and Karu local government of Nasarawa State.
Through the project, DRAC has carried different activities and several milestones have been achieved. Some of milestones are accessibility audit in 14 schools, modifications in schools, life skills training of girls with disabilities, establishment of caregiver’s peer groups, establishment of VSLA groups and many others including distribution of assistive devices.
On 12th July, 2021, DRAC remarkably distributed 60 wheelchairs, 35 crutches, 10 white canes, 7 hearing aid and 10 low vision devices to women and girls with disabilities in the six area councils and Karu local Government of Nasarawa State.
The Executive Director of DRAC, Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu speaking at the ceremonial event of the distribution exercise in Abuja said that it is very important in the life of any organization to do things that would better the lives of others. DRAC has been committed to the issues of persons with disabilities especially women and girls. The focus on women and girls with disabilities is because they are three times more vulnerable than other groups whether women without disabilities and men with disabilities, the women with disabilities are easily forgotten or left behind.
Speaking further, she emphasized on how important her wheelchair is to her and how it is very useful towards helping her as a woman with disability to achieve her desires in life. She described the day as an emotional day because it is day she has to reflect on the importance of assistive devices to the life of any person with disability especially women with disabilities.
She appreciated UKAid for the opportunity they provided by sponsoring the Break The Cycle Project which has empowered DRAC to support many women with disabilities in various ways such economic empowerment through VSLA, Vocational Trainings and other ways including the provision of assistive devices.
“There are girls with disabilities who cannot go to school because they do not have assistive devices and there are girls with disabilities who cannot participate fully in school because they do not have assistive devices, the same is applicable to the communities where women with disabilities cannot participate fully in their community activities because of lack of assistive devices. That why today is an important day in the life of DRAC and the lives of the beneficiaries” she added.
The Country Director of CBM, Bright Ekweremmadu in his goodwill message said that it is high time Nigerian government begin to prioritize thing like providing assistive devices for persons with disabilities saying that he feels ashamed in his over twenty years of working as development worker, it has always been foreign donors who are sponsoring things like what DRAC is doing. He expressed worry that politicians and rich Nigerians would spend so much in exotic cars and they don’t see reasons to support an organization like DRAC to make available some of these assistive devices for those who need them. He appreciated DRAC for the wonderful initiative and thanked British government and CBM for supporting the initiative.
The Director, FCT Dept, Special Need Education, Aturu Jonah in his goodwill message appreciated DRAC for the initiative, he said that it geared towards enhancing access to education of every child irrespective of the status of the child which his department is working to uphold in the FCT. He pointed out that lack of assistive devices has contributed in limiting access to school by some children with disabilities. He expressed satisfaction towards the collaboration that exist between DRAC and his Dept and urged the women to make proper use of the assistive devices given to them.
The representative of AMAC Chairman, Aisha Yusuf, HOS, Social Welfare/Gender in her speech while appreciating DRAC for the gesture, called for more support from the public towards making provision for these assistive devices that would help to enhance the economic wellbeing of women with disabilities and reduce the discrimination that they are facing. She urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the assistive devices because it is an opportunity for them to move about and better their lives.
The Deputy Director, Special Needs and Gender, FCT UBEB, Bilkisu A, Hamza, said that DRAC has done so much not only in distribution of assistive devices but also in the area of assisting girls with disabilities by sensitization of their families, caregivers and the public about the rights of girls with disabilities and how they can have access to school.
Speaking further, she said that DRAC have already being providing ramps in schools so that these girls with disabilities have been given wheelchairs can access the classrooms, thereby enhancing their participation in the school activities. She appreciated DRAC for all they are doing and promised that FCT UBEB would continue to partner with them in their effort to make the schools more accessible. She also urged the beneficiaries to use the devices properly because they were given to help them explore more opportunities and be more productive.
The representative of the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Idemudia Lawrence, Ag. Director, Social Integration dept, appreciated DRAC for complementing government role of providing assistive devices for persons with disabilities. The initiative is one of the numerous wonderful things DRAC is doing for the community of persons with disabilities and promised that the Commission will always partner with DRAC to change the narrative about disability in Nigeria. He urged the women with disabilities who benefited from the assistive devices to see it as a stepping stone to achieve greater things.
After the distribution of some of the devices to the beneficiaries, a beneficiary who is a women leader in her community, Rabiu Mustapha speaking on behalf of all the beneficiaries appreciated DRAC for the gesture and pray to God to bless DRAC team.
Dr. Irene in her closing remark appreciated the guests, her Team members and pleaded with the beneficiaries not to dump the devices at home or sell them, he reminded that the devices were meant to change their lives, provide more opportunities for them and make them better persons within the society.
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT
