21 Jun 2018

Madikwe Community Care Group  organised a sensitisation workshop on human rights for people living with disabilities (PWDs) and their caregivers in the villages along Madikwe River.

Speaking during the workshop held on June 20, chairperson of Mmathubudukwane Support for PWDS Mr Lesly Kgori said the workshop was organised to sensitise and educate PWDs on human rights and accord caregivers an opportunity to share their challenges.

Mr Kgori said many disabled people were not aware of their rights hence the need to educate them and also appreciate their challenges.

He said stakeholder engagement was critical to enable them to appreciate their roles in extending a helping hand to disabled communities.

Mr Kgori said the workshop would help them formulate strategies which would engender team work in the area.

Sharing on disability and human rights,  Ms Tebogo Gareitsanye of Botswana Networks On Ethics, Law, HIV and AIDS (BONELA) said it was very important that communities understood that disability was not inability.

People with disabilities, she said, had lives to live and should be given the opportunity to live that life with respect and dignity.

Ms Gareitsanye said they could participate in sporting activities, and had the right to quality health care.

Calling for government support for PWDs, Ms Gareitsanye said  they should be given a chance to prove their abilities.

She said community support was also important for assisting   PWDs.

Kgatleng District Health Management Team’s Ms Vinolia Kalanke said their office provided services to PWDs through village clinics. She said health officers based in those clinics registered them for assessment and followed the process until they were issued a PWD card.

Ms Kalanke appreciated the services offered by non-governmental organisations and rehabilitation centres such as Motswedi in Mochudi.

Speaking on challenges faced by  PWDs, Mr Morake Senwelo said public transport was not suitable while infrastructure was designed in a way that hindered them to easily access offices.  In some cases there were ramps and where ramps were in place, they were too steep.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Esron Bogatsu said the workshop was valuable for the PWDs as it would educate them on their rights and also encourage them to build confidence in their capabilities. ENDS