12 Jun 2019

It is not uncommon for persons with disabilities to live on the margins of society despite efforts to fight discrimination.

Some still receive unfair treatment from their families, friends and the society at large.

“It still baffles me when most people in this era have a negative perception against us and believe that persons with disability are suffering from punishment or curses,” said Ms Kesentse Jeremiah of Matlapana ward in Maun.

The 41-year-old revealed in an interview that discrimination against people living with disabilities was still a major challenge in society, saying they were often treated in a way that humiliated, offended or degraded them.

She said people living with disabilities constitute an impoverished marginalised group, characterised by lack of access to public health, education, and other social services mean to support and protect them.

Ms Jeremiah also decried lack of respect for persons with disabilities and called for their acceptance as an integral part of the society.

She wished the community could support and empower them to become to lead independent lives.

The mother of six is hard of hearing and she uses a hearing aid, while two of her children also live with disabilities.

One child, aged 12, has an intellectual disability while the other one aged four, has down syndrome.

While a person with an intellectual disability may have significant limitations in the skills needed to live and work in the community, including difficulties with communication, self-care, social skills, safety and self-direction.

Ms Jeremiah, who calls herself advocate for persons with disabilities, explained that disability is not a curse as some people think, but it is a condition that could come any time to anybody and urged the society to change their attitude towards persons with disabilities.

She emphasised that persons with disabilities needed equal and fair treatment, adding that ‘the most important thing  is to treat each person as an individual not to treat him/her less because of his/her disability’.

Currently, she said they have little hope of going to school, getting jobs, having their own homes and participating in community activities.

She revealed that she was not born with hearing impairment, but she lost hearing while grown up.

Ms Jeremiah is economically challenged to look after her children, fortunately some are assisted with food hampers by the council.

“Because of my background, I am subjected to poverty as my efforts to apply for government initiatives are in vain and l cannot look for a job because my last born child needs attention all the time,” she added.

She said she wanted to start a catering company under the poverty eradication programme in 2015, but she was not successful. Her main worry is shelter for her family and has appealed for help to complete her house.

Before she had children, she said she used to do piece jobs and managed to start construction of a house which she could not complete.  

Ms Jeremiah stated that her status does not prevent her from doing any work, but she said it was unfortunate that public officers discriminate against her when she seeks assistance. ENDS