By  Kingsley Ighobor

Bankole Labody Oyou, a 24-year-old mass communications student in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, was born blind.

He always relies on a family member or friend to get around the city and to class at Fourah Bay College, which is perched on Mount Aureol in central Freetown. He says that COVID-19 has complicated life for people living with disabilities.

“We are suffering,” he told Africa Renewal. “Some [disabled people] have no family members to care for them. We are told to stay indoors, but we have no food to eat. Subconsciously, the government and the community forget that we exist. I have not heard anyone discuss our plight on the radio.”

According to the UN, persons with disabilities are among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Even under normal circumstances, the one billion persons with disabilities worldwide are less likely to access health care, education, employment and more likely to live in poverty and experience violence.

COVID-19 further compounds this situation, particularly for people with disabilities in fragile contexts and humanitarian settings. They face a lack of accessible public health information, significant barriers to implement basic hygiene measures, and inaccessible health facilities.

Kenyan Paralympian Anne Wafula-Strike agrees. “People with disabilities are relegated to the background. The pandemic simply worsened an already bad situation.”

Ms. Wafula-Strike is founder of the Olympia-Wafula Foundation to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.

In an interview with Africa Renewal, she listed several obstacles currently confronting people with disabilities. “They are not consulted before COVID-19 messages are conceptualized, and the channels of dissemination are not accessible to them,” she says. “Many don’t own radio or television sets; some of them are visually impaired and can’t read or write.”

She is also unhappy with the uniform application of COVID-19 transmission measures, without due consideration for persons with disabilities. “The police treat people living with disabilities like everyone else. Caregivers who, for example, assist them get on wheelchairs and with other activities, are now expected to practice social distancing. How do they [disabled people] survive?” she asks.

Ms. Wafula-Strike is also concerned about the increasing incidences of sexual violence, particularly against women with a disability “who have been forced to remain indoors.”

As of 2 May, about 39,749 COVID-19 cases and 1,660 deaths had been reported in Africa. Should cases increase suddenly, Ms. Wafula-Strike worries that hospitals could be overwhelmed, making it difficult for people with disabilities to receive much-needed healthcare. “They could begin to die behind closed doors.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) echoes Ms. Wafula-Strike’s concerns, adding that basic hygiene measures such as “handwashing, sinks or water pumps may be physically inaccessible” to people with disabilities.

The organisation has published a list of protective mitigation measures that can be adopted by people with disabilities, governments, communities and health workers.

People with disabilities should, if possible, avoid crowded environments and work from home, advises WHO.

It recommends that COVID-19 information materials include “captioning and sign language… converting public materials into ‘Easy Read’ for people with cognitive impairment.”

Furthermore, there should be financial compensation for families and caregivers, including “paying, for a time-limited period, family members for support provided during normal hours.”

Healthcare workers could adopt tele-health such as providing telephone consultations, text messaging and video conferencing for the delivery of health care and psychosocial support for people with disabilities.

Ensure nobody is left behind in the COVID-19 recovery process is critical too.

“I urge governments to place people with disabilities at the center of COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and to consult and engage people with disabilities,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the launch of a UN report that recommends a disability-inclusive response and recovery for everyone.

Among the report’s recommendations is the need for governments, donors, UN agencies and other actors to establish accountability mechanisms to monitor investments and ensure disability inclusion in the COVID-19 response, including through the collection and disaggregation of data by disability.

In addition, new investments must not create new barriers for people with disabilities — if considered from the design stage, ensuring accessibility can cost as little as 1% more

Some governments and non-governmental organisations are already taking measures to cushion the effects of the pandemic on people with disabilities. For example, the Sierra Leonean government has provided $25 and half a bag of rice for each person with disability.

But Mr. Oyou says that is too little. “We cannot live on $25 for months.”

Ethiopia is translating COVID-19 messages into local languages and the country plans to make communication materials accessible to those with hearing, seeing and learning difficulties, as well as to those with mental illness.

South Africa has set aside million $10.6 million to assist small, medium and micro enterprises in the hospitality and tourism sector, with priority given to people with disabilities and women.

In Nigeria, Christian Blind Mission, a Germany-based international Christian development organisation, is helping with sign language interpretation of COVID-19 messages.

The International Disability Alliance—a coalition of more than 1,000 organisations working on disability issues—has launched the COVID-19 “Disability Rights Monitor” to track measures countries are taking on the “core rights of persons with disabilities including the rights to life, access to health and essential services.”

These may be impactful, says Ms. Wafula-Strike; however, she’s very concerned should COVID-19 cases in Africa increase dramatically. “Something must be done urgently to prepare for such a situation. A country is judged by how it treats its vulnerable,” she said.

Source: Africa Renewal

As Nigeria celebrates Children’s Day, a non governmental organization, Engraced Onces has advocated acceptance and care for children with intellectual disabilities.

The NGO was perturbed by ill treatment meted to children with intellectual disabilities across the country and called for equal treatment of all children regardless of their defects.

Speaking to our reporter, the Coordinator of the NGO, Bibora Yinkere, appealed to Nigerians and government at all levels to increase their care for children with intellectual disabilities.

While giving the story of a young girl, she said, Josephine was diagnosed for autism spectrum disorder at age four, and experienced the warm and cold waters of the social pond.

“Her parents are trying hard to get her trained and tutored in the special education ways she can learn, though without any external palliative.

“However, when she misbehaves, throws tantrums or paces around the hall where other persons are, people ignorantly judge her to be defiant and badly behaved. In fact, people may start to withdraw from her. There are neighbours that will begrudge or decidedly avoid the family that has children with disabilities.

“These are not supposed to be so. Even though every family of children with disabilities makes its own temporary peace with the social reality of their childs physical limitations and behaviours, our society must come to terms with the fact that disability is not a communicable disease.”

She said children who fall on the autism spectrum disorder may be almost blind to certain social cues. “But the society should tolerate them, give them chance and be tutored to accommodating them. Theyll definitely thrive better in a society void of discrimination and rejection, but laced by love and acceptance.

“Therefore, the immediate families of these children with intellectual disabilities should be encouraged and seek for better understanding on how to help these ones in transitioning into more useful entity that they are.”

While speaking on the rights of children with intellectual disabilities, she said they have legitimate rights and needs. “They have a promising future and distinct impacts to make on their world. Please note that the ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ is an important agreement by countries who have promised to protect childrens rights. The ‘Convention on the Rights of the Child’ explains who children are, all their rights, and the responsibilities of governments.

“For instance, the 23rd item on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child charter detailed the expected treatment of children with intellectual disabilities. It states that ‘every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. Governments should remove all obstacles for children with intellectual disabilities to become independent and to participate actively in the community”.

She said government is saddled with the responsibility of removing all obstacles for these children to become independent and participate actively in the community.
“These will include providing for unhindered access to basic health needs, special needs education, provision of required special technical educational aids, etc. These are the approved international standard rights of children with intellectual disabilities. Most nations are doing more towards this goal. But these have remained a mirage in our dear nation.

“We at the Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative therefore call on the government of Nigeria to do more in honoring the UN child rights charter of which Nigeria is a signatory, as it concerns children with intellectual disabilities .”

Source: People’s Daily

By Irobosa Osazuwa

The traditional ruler of Apomu in Osun’s wife, Olori Janet Afolabi, has donated face masks and noodles to the children of Government Special School for the blind, Ikere-Ekiti.

Presenting the items on Wednesday in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area (LGA), Afolabi said many families find it difficult to feed their children following the effect of the COVID-19.

Her Royal Highness said that many communities in Apomu Land, in Isokan LGA of the state had benefited from the gesture.

“I decided to extend the kindness to students of the School for the Blind, Ikere-Ekiti because of their special needs.

“We have distributed cartoons of noodles to indigent children in Apomu community. The packages were given to the children in their various suburbs.

“We are also extending act of kindness to some blind children in Ekiti today by donating 100 face masks and cartoons of noodles to Government Special School of the Blind in Ikere Ekiti,’’ she said.

Dyslexia. It’s a word many parents dread when they hear it in reference to their own children. What their “lay” minds take in is that they have a child who will face struggles throughout his/her schooling and in life. Dyslexia never goes away. There is no medication to mitigate the symptoms; worse, it is an invisible disability which (if undiagnosed) subjects the sufferer to lots of misunderstanding and criticism for things over which s/he has not control.

As parents research their child’s dyslexia and receive information from the experts, they come to understand many things that they want others to understand as well. Here’s 20 of them.

1. They read differently.

The brain anatomy of a dyslexic child is different. The area that understands language operates differently than the average individual’s. The brain has to translate symbols on the page of a book (for example) into sounds. The sounds then have to be combined to make meaningful words. The parts of the brain that do this are not as well developed with dyslexia, so affected children will have to engage different parts of their brains to compensate. Part of this compensation is enhanced by specialized reading programs which are research based and multi-sensory, as well as by audio books that allow kids to keep up with their classmates in school.

2. They cannot overcome dyslexia by reading more.

Those who do not understand dyslexia (including some teachers) think if parents just read to their children more, and if elementary aged children are just forced to read more, somehow the dyslexia will be “cured.” Nothing could be further from the truth. While reading to a dyslexic child has great benefits (I.E. information, exposure, stimulation of imagination), it will not help him/her become a better reader. Likewise, forcing a dyslexic child to just read more, in a traditional manner, only leads to frustration, anger, and behavioral issues. It is the equivalent of forcing an adult to go to a job every day at which s/he cannot perform the tasks and is not ever given the training to acquire the skills to perform them. How long would that adult remain on that job?

3. They are not lazy or unmotivated.

The undiagnosed dyslexic kid is often labeled as these things both in the classroom and at home. However, remember to consider the following issues:

– They may not hear multi-step instructions. While the 2^nd and 3^rd instructions are being given, their brains are still processing the first

– In school, during reading class, they are still de-coding the first sentence while classmates have moved on to the 5^th or 6^th.

– It takes them far longer to complete worksheets and tests. When they do not get things finished, the teacher may be inclined to keep them in from recess to make them finish. What they don’t understand is that this child is exhausted from the effort just to complete what he has, and needs a break just as much as his peers.

4. They often need tutoring outside of school.

If the tutoring is designed for kids with dyslexia, some studies have shown, the brain actually changes (this is called neuroplasticity) and “rewires” itself, resulting in enhanced reading skills. For the older student, facing essays and papers for which research must be completed, as well as the normal rounds of standardized testing that come at specific milestone points in schooling, tutoring for reading, writing, and test taking must continue. Private tutoring services that have specialists for kids with learning disabilities are numerous in both the United States and in the UK. With their help and their special approach, children with dyslexia can pass any type of exam, including 11 plus mock exams easily.

 5. They don’t “see” the world backwards.

Yes, they occasionally reverse letters and words, but that is because those words and letters appear differently to them on the printed page. What they view in the world, they often see holistically (rather than in detail). They have a grand ability to see what is “out of place.” Carol Grieder, a molecular biologist with dyslexia, won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2009 because as she looked at DNA molecules through a microscope, she saw something that should not be there. She discovered a new and extremely important enzyme that is today the subject of cancer and aging research. In this case, her dyslexia was a wonderful “gift” to the world.

6. They need “ear reading”.

This is the term advocates and parents use for audio books. While the obvious benefit is that are able to stay up to date with their classmates in all content areas (textbook publishers all offer their publications in audio format), they are also able to conduct research and to complete book reports/reviews. Another benefit is an increased vocabulary and the ability to “hear” good grammar.

7. They need accommodations in school, at all levels.

While they may not always qualify for an IEP, there are other individual plans that can be put into place that allow for longer assignment and test-taking time, modified assignments (e.g. half of the spelling word list), and orally provided exams.

8. They can be disorganized.

Their failure to have attention to detail causes disorganization, impacting both school and home life. Their rooms may be messier than most, and cleaning them up is truly challenging. At a young age, parents would do well to “walk” dyslexic children through each step of the process for cleaning their rooms and putting things in proper places. In school, older children specifically may have difficulty organizing and managing their time, and may need lots of tools, such as cell phone alarms, a picture schedule, and so forth.

9. They feel dumb and stupid.

They are aware that others in their classrooms are reading better, are completing assignments on time, and do not take as long to learn things. This can really impact self-esteem over time, causing them to withdraw. Teachers must capitalize on strengths and interests, and publicly recognize them in the classroom. Parents need to promote their kids’ strengths and talents with outside activities. Art, music, sports, designing, building, and science are typical areas of strength. Having successes and recognition for those successes is extremely important for adult productivity and happiness.

10. They need to socialize.

When their bad feelings about themselves cause them to withdraw, they may cease to involve themselves in social activities or in making new friends. It is important that parents of young children take a proactive approach to socialization. This may include joining a support group, in which there will be plenty of opportunity for their children to be involved in activities, or enrolling them in clubs, Scouts, or sporting activities. Older children must be encouraged to get involved in activities that will support and reinforce their strengths or talents. For teens, getting a part-time job can be huge!

11. They have average to above-average intelligence.

There is nothing wrong with educators and parents sharing good news with these kids about their IQs. They should continue to re-enforce the facts that a huge number of highly successful people had/have dyslexia. Here’s a few: Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Muhammed Ali, Steve Jobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Picasso, and Richard Branson. There is virtually no field in which dyslexic people have not excelled.

12. They need technology.

There are a number of apps which have been recommended by medical and psycho/educational professionals that serve dyslexic students well, from those that convert any text to audio, to voice-command word processing programs, to phonetic skill building in gaming formats. Schools should be cognizant of needs and ensure that these tools are available.

13. They are exhausted by detail.

This pertains particularly to reading and to worksheets in math that are “cluttered.” Spreading content out in larger print and recommended fonts will help a great deal. They will also need frequent breaks. While other students can focus on an activity that involves reading and writing, and accomplish a great deal in a 20-30 minute period, the dyslexic child will complete far less and need breaks after 10 minutes of focus. Beyond that, they will complain of headaches and dizziness.

14. They see what others do not.

Dyslexic children will state the words on a page are moving, that they are alternating between light and dark, or that they are flip-flopping. It is easy to think that they are making this up; however, they are not. It is important to validate what they are seeing as “real” for them.

15. They are visual thinkers.

They learn by pictures and hands-on experiences. This is one reason that many do well in lab sciences. They also remember in pictures. If they can be given visual representations of concepts, they will cement that in their memories. What they read will not be cemented unless there are other senses involved as they read.

16. They should not be “lumped” together as one.

Dyslexic kids are individuals. Their disabilities come in all ranges. Some may exhibit symptoms of ADD, while others will not. Some have real difficulty putting thoughts into words, while others are much more verbal. Some are of average intellectual ability, while others are truly gifted. Some have “acting out behavior;” while others are too quiet. It is unfair to treat all dyslexic children as if they are one homogeneous group.

17. They are frustrated with their disability.

While others who live and work with these kids can certainly become frustrated, it is important to be empathetic. Try putting yourself in the kid’s place and see dyslexia through the eyes of the person actually living it. These kid needs support and encouragement, not disapproving remarks, like “try harder.” S/he is trying!

18. They will be dyslexic for a lifetime.

But with strong interventions and flexibility on the part of teachers, they can develop methods to compensate, earn college degrees, and take their places in many career niches.

19. They can add great value to an organization.

Because they tend to be creative and are visual thinkers, they are often able to “see” solutions that others cannot. In these cases, being dyslexic is a strength in itself.

20. Their sense of hearing is exceptional.

Perhaps because their ability to use their eyes well to learn, the sense of hearing has strengthened, just as it is for those who are blind. However, they are often unable to filter out all of the sounds around them, greatly impacting their ability to focus. The use of headphones when they are engaged in audio learning will help them greatly.

Each of us have strengths and areas of challenge. Our children with dyslexia are no different. Unfortunately, learning has been so intimately tied to reading that they have been at a clear disadvantage. Things are rapidly changing; however, in this wonderful age of technology. We are reaching a point at which we will be able to honor all learning styles, not just those that have traditionally met with success.

Source: Academic Coaching Associates

People with disability in Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local
Government Area, have received food items, including bags of rice and
tubers of yam from the Traditional Ruler of the Community, Igwe Emeka
Ilouno, as he extended his COVID-19 outreach programme to them.

Other items distributed at the event, courtesy of World Ebony Network,
United States of America, were face masks, farm inputs, including
fertilizer, lime, maize, cucumber, water melon seeds and bundles of
cassava stems.

The Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Disability Matters,
Mr Chuks Ezewuzie, who witnessed the exercise, said Igwe Ilouno has
remained in the forefront in supporting policies and programmes of the
Anambra State Government, especially as they affect disabled persons.

Mr Ezewuzie, a lawyer who recalled that Governor Obiano had recently
constituted Disability Community COVID-19 Response Team, said such
gesture from Igwe Ilouno will go a long way in reducing hardships
associated with the outbreak of the pandemic, urging others to emulate
him.

Distributing the items, Igwe Ilouno said the step was taken in
response to the need to help the disabled persons in the community in
cushioning the effect of Coronavirus, adding that individuals and
community efforts helped in making the event a huge success.

Igwe Ilouno, who encouraged the people to religiously observe
preventive measures against the virus, equally encouraged them to
embark on “Ugbo Azu-Uno”, to enable them equally cushion
post-COVID-19 effects, expressing confidence that the Anambra State
Government will successfully manage all COVID-19 cases in the State.

Some of the beneficiaries, including Messrs Stanley Obi, Arinze Nwafor and Innocent Okafor, who is the Co-ordinator of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, explained that life has never been easy for the people, especially those with disabilities, thanking Igwe Ilouno for extending his kind gestures to their members

Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Abia State has expressed their grievances over the discrimination meted against one of their members by a member of Abia State Assembly.

In a statement sent to The Qualitative magazine by the Chairman of the group, Stanley Onyebuchi, the group said that it was brought to their notice that one politician and a lawmaker named Hon. Ginger Onwusibe has chosen to be inhumane and decided to deny a person with disability and our member Mr. Onyema Okechukwu who was nominated by the Isialangwa North Local Government Chairman Hon. Nwaogwugwu to Chair Orie-Oha Amapu Ntigha marketers Committee, after this committee have been announced on radio and a date for inauguration fixed. Then Hon. Ginger Onwusibe came from nowhere and cancelled the inauguration with a ridiculous reason that Mr. Onyema Okechukwu is a Person with disability, so he doesn’t have the capability to Chair the Committee. This is the height of exhibiting act of discrimination to anybody no matter the social status.

Therefore, the group rejected that position and demand that what is due or given to their member be returned without hesitation.

They said that they are sending this protest letter to the said politician to reserve his earlier position and allow Mr. Onyema Okechukwu to chair the committee he has been appointed for.

The group threatened that the lawmaker will have the entire members of disability community in Abia State to face if he refused to do the right thing.