25 Mar 2014

Deputy executive director of Thuso Rehabilitation Centre, Dickson Samaemo says many people with disabilities are left out of the mainstream economy and only sports can bring them closer, hence the need for all to take sport seriously.

Speaking at the deaflympic athletics competitions organised by Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO at Maun Sports Complex, Samaemo said most of people living with disabilities had not reached secondary and tertiary education and could not be absorbed in the labour market.

He said the few that were employed were either discriminated against or exploited at their work places, hence the majority ended up staying at home with nothing to do.

Samaemo cited communication barriers as one of the leading stumbling blocks in those people with hearing disabilities and this led to lack of information, poor knowledge about critical issues such as HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health and their democratic right to elections.

He lamented insufficient access to quality rehabilitation, saying the few rehabilitation facilities available for people living with disabilities accommodate mild and moderate disabilities leaving those who are profound in the hands of the elders with minimal knowledge.

Samaemo said the well planned event by PASSOBO together with other key stakeholders’ unearthed hidden talent from the disability community and also proving that there is ability in disability.

For his part, PASSOBO public relation officer, Phenyo Makaba said this was the very first regional deaflympics games and their intention was to have ball sports as well.

He said between November and December they would have national games in Gaborone on visual, hearing and physically impaired pupils. A database of the students who performed well is kept and used to select students to represent the country in National Games and Paralympics games, he added.

He said that Botswana National Sports Council has been very supportive with food and accommodation and expressed his gratitude to councils which provided transportation and hired toilets.

“Despite the challenges they face of long distances and availability of stadiums they held on and made the day possible, many students came as far as Ramotswa to compete in Maun and is more of a challenge to the fitness of the students, he said.”  Ends