Linda Dakyel is a single lady with disability (physically Challenge) from Mangu local government of Plateau state. She became a person with disability when was one year six months old, as a result of sickness. So she grew up with disability.
She attended LGEA primary school Letting in Mangu and Government Secondary school Pankshin, in Pankshin local government of Plateau state which she completed in the year 2004. She could not go further than Secondary school, because of financial difficulty.
In a chat with our correspondent, Bulus Bala Izang which took place in a shop where she is working, she spoke on vocational skills and the need for government assistance for her to expand.
TQM. When you were in school, what was life like in terms of discrimination?
I was not all that lucky with most of my school mates, especially the females, though not all, but a good number of them, they were not friendly towards me, and when l request for assistance, even if they do assist me, it comes with some forms of mockery.
TQM. What have you been doing after you completed your Secondary school?
I learnt knitting, soap making and cake baking. And that is what l am doing for a living.
TQM. Where are you doing this business activity of yours?
A lady allowed me to be doing and selling my business products in her shop free. I am sharing the shop with her for now, until when God will bless me with my own shop.
TQM. What is preventing you from getting your own shop?
I don’t have the money to pay for shop rent.
TQM. Do people patronize your products, despite your disability?
Some people do but some don’t. Some see buying products, ( which l have made ) from me, or other persons with disability as a sign of bad omen.
For example, there was this lady that came to our shop wanting me to knit some sweater for her, after we finished the terms, l stood up to get something, and she noticed that l have disability. She said, l should not knit the sweater again and she left almost immediately.
That is even for clothes, not even something to eat, like the cakes l bake. For some of these reason of discrimination , l do very little of the baked products.
Her products
TQM. What about your Rights, have you experience the abuse of your rights because of your disability?
I am not sure of that.
TQM. Are you aware of the laws, that governments have put in place to protect the rights of persons with disabilities at the state and national levels?
Ans. No, l am not.
TQM. Have you enjoyed any grant or loan form either the government or private individuals to help finance your business?
No, l have not.
TQM. But have you ever applied for it?
Yes, l have applied, but l was not successful.
TQM. What would be your appeal to the government and other persons in the society?
I would need assistance to get my own shop, buy another functional knitting machine and to buy wools, so that, l can afford to make and display ready to pick sweaters, not just to wait for orders before l made them.
TQM. Thank you for your time.
