10 Oct 2016

People living-with-disabilities are faced with different challenges which include financial problems and having problems with fending for themselves and the government is doing a lot to come up with solutions to these problems.

When addressing people living-with-disabilities together with their care givers in an empowerment workshop, Ms Kebaneilwe Leselamose who is a social worker at Gaborone- West said that people living-with-disabilities were faced with different challenges thus a lot had to be done to tackle these problems.

She explained that the objectives of the workshop were to look at the programmes available for people with disabilities, counselling and support given to them and also to educate them about the challenges of living with disabilities.

 “The community has to unite and support people living-with-disabilities because we want to build a nation that does not ignore the needs of people living-with-disabilities,”she said.

For her part, Ms Ruth Makuane who is a rehabilitation officer at civic centre said that there were different programmes aimed at helping people living-with-disabilities.

She explained that there were disabilities cash transfer guidelines which were followed when assisting those in need and this money is given after an assessment had been made and this assistance was given looking at the degree of disability.

She emphasised that a child with 0-18 years with serious disability qualified to be given financial support.

Ms Merapelo Kesegofetse who is a social worker at Bontleng explained that people living-with-disabilities faced different challenges and as a result they often had stress.

“When someone realises that they have disability especially children when they grow up, they tend to have stress and also when someone has disability because of accident, they also become stressed,” she said.

She noted that a person who was stressed was identified by having too much anger and sadness which hindered them from living their lives to the fullest.  She urged the participants to always seek help when they had problems and ensure that they used the available programmes for the betterment of their lives. ENDS