TQM Report,
Disability Advancement Initiative (DAi) in commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2021 reached out to a disability colony at Karamajiji Community in FCT.
On the 8th of December, 2021, DAI team led by the Executive Director, Obinna Ekujereonye in collaboration with Flock of God Chrismatic of Holy Trinity Maitama, Abuja donated food items(noddles, rice, garri, beans, condiments, oil etc) and hygienic materials (soaps, hand sanitizers etc) to over 60 Persons with Disabilities(PWDs) residing in the colony.
Mr. Obinna Ekujereonye in a chat with The Qualitative Magazine (TQM) during the exercise, said that the gesture is part of his organization mandate to build and advance an Inclusive society where no one is left behind in accordance with SDGs slogan.
“when you look at the disability community, most of the times, we focus most of our efforts at the city centre and those at the suburbs, nobody looks at them, nobody cares for them. You can see where they are living, it is not a good place to behold, they are being ravaged by hunger, imagine the health challenges they may be going through in this settlement. That’s why we took it upon ourselves to seek for collaborations and decided to cushion the effect of these hardship on them.
He advised other NGOs and CSOs not to concentrate their efforts at the city centre because there are a lot more Persons With Disabilities in the suburbs who needs that help more than those at the city centre, those at the centre though they still need help but to an extent they can live dependently but at the suburbs, they need something as little as a cup of rice to survive a day. As we are promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, we should at times remember some persons with disabilities need those little assistance to survive. That’s why DAI decided to put smiles on the faces of some of them today.
He went further to inform that DAI going by their findings from the visit, in the nearest future would assist them in the area of education of the children, most of them, their children are not going to school, so DAI will find time to come back to pay school fees for some of their children, buy books, school bags and sandals for them.
Reacting to the theme of this year’s theme of International Day for Persons With Disabilities IDPD 2021, he said that it is time for PWDs to participate in Politics not only to vote but to be voted for, it is time for persons with disabilities to be included in everything, the time of exclusion is gone.
“We are into the era of inclusion are now ready to participate in politics. We are ready now. So we are calling on political parties, INEC, the government and any other institutions that has any role to play in the political participation of PWDs to start doing right, forms should be reduced for PWDs including other incentives that will assist a person with disability to contest and win. It is time for a conscious effort to have persons with disabilities in leadership position for fairness and equity. Nobody can champion disability issues more than a person with disability, it is he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches”.
Brother Agada Achele Jacob of Flock of God Community, Chrismatic of Brethren, Holy Trinity Maitama Abuja told TQM that they used to carry out outreaches once or twice in a year to places even where they are not invited to carry out the mandate of Chris Jesus in Matthew 25 when he said that we should reach out to those in need.
“So when Obinna approached us and expressed his desire to reach out to Kalamjiji Community, it was the first time we are knowing about a community like this so we decided to do it together with him so all members of Flock of God Community contributed all they could and we are here today with DAI and we are happy because it is a wise decision, they are totally in need which is what God want, providing for those in need” he added.
I feel like carrying a megaphone going to house to house to call on Nigerians to come and assist these people, when I saw them, my heart dropped, I saw people who are truly in need. We normally teach in our community that when you are rich, it is not for you to keep it, God has made you an administrator of his resources and it is for people like this that God have directed to assist with your money. I am calling on all Nigeria not only the very rich but everyone who can afford a little to remember places like this, they need our help, as little as a thousand from us time to time will go a long way to assist these people” he solicited.
One of the beneficiaries, Suleiman Adamu, a blind man told TQM that Obinna Ekujereonye in his usual self has come again to do what he knows how to do best.
“He has been helpful to us from when he was the Chairman of Nigeria Association of the Blind NAB FCT Chapter, he was inviting us to programs to help us, all I can say is “May God progress his newly founded DAI, let’s DAI achieved its aim and God will surely answer their prayer, we are very grateful to Obinna and his partners on this gesture, may God bless them”
He called on government and International communities to support DAI and other organizations like them who understand the grassroot because whatever they do with them, will surely get to the grassroot.
Another beneficiary, a woman who uses a wheelchair, Rabiu Mustapha prayed for DAI and their partners. She said that what touched her so much was that the CEO of DAI who is blind man remembered them at a time like this, it is emotional to her. She called on government and Nigerians to assist them with the education of their children because the school they have at the colony lack teachers because they can’t afford to pay the teachers and some of them who can’t afford to take their children to other schools, the children have been staying at home. So they should appreciate if government, individuals or organization can come and equip the school and employ these teachers and pay them.
She also pleaded for assistance on the area of health, there is no health center around them, so if their women want to deliver, no nearby hospital to attend to them and when their children get sick, it is the same challenge, she seek government, individuals, organization assistance for a health centre at the colony.
