The Acting Executive Director, Edoka Suleiman Onoja Heritage Peace and Traumatic Care Centre, on Tuesday, called on relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors to be involved in creating a sustainable impact to come to the needs of persons with disability in the country.
Amina Adamu said those with disability, especially women, are already going through a lot of trauma that could be beyond their capacity. “Therefore, it is important they are brought to the fore to talk about their feelings or pains and what they go through, managing challenges of life, especially in their conditions”.
She revealed these at the official launch of the Empowering Her Project, organised by the Centre, in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation and the Joint National Association of Persons With Disability (JONAPWD), in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
The project is aimed at boosting the resilience of the vulnerable, solve internal conflicts, and appreciate their well-being.
“Trauma is real but, neglected and overlooked. Many are already facing this challenge daily”, Adamu said in her opening remarks at the event.
“Imagine people with disabilities, especially women, they go through a lot normally, coupled with dealing with disability issues and going through trauma they cannot think about. It is important we bring the vulnerable to talk about their feelings and how they can be helped.
“Doing this and giving them the opportunity to speak and express their concern will aid us to help them with our Empowering Her Project, and in doing so, we are enabling every other person”, she said.
Sa’adatu Adamu, the Founder, Secure D-Future International Initiative (SDF), another of the Project collaborators, emphasized on why people living with disability must be given the necessary attention to make them feel part of the society.
“They are so vulnerable, she said.”
It’s important to get them to that point where they are informed to know what to do, appreciate themselves, regardless of their condition, Sa’adatu pointed out.
She also urged the government to come up more with inclusive policies for the disabled and “make them part of everything that we do”.
“I’m talking about inclusion. If they are part of everything, they will feel together. This (project) is an opportunity to express they feel and know that they are very crucial. Everyone is important. The government should put the disabled at the centre, for an inclusive society”, she enumerated.
Maiko Ibrahim Tanko, Secretary, Kuje Area Council, representing the Chairman, said in every community, there is a disabled. Therefore, the Empowering Her Project is a welcome development.
He also stated that more provisions by the government need to be made for persons with disability.
The Human Resource Manager, SDF, Chinemere Nnenna said those living with disability also battle with challenges that come with it, Including internal conflicts.
She added that coming out and not feeling like every other person, already looks like a problem.
“This could be a way of affecting their mental wellbeing. That’s the trauma we are talking about. The reality that they are already disabled is traumatic”, Chinemerem said.
However, she encouraged the disabled to find positives in their conditions and survive like every other persons.