By: Vivian Oresha
People with disability are the ones among marginalized in our society today. Although there are laws to ensure they are not marginalized but some aspects in the society marginalization is very evident.
First in social life it is true to say that most of them suffer from self-esteem issues because they are not fully accepted in the society. This is evident in a state whereby you find most parents who bear these children try to hide them from people due to stigmatization which nowadays is mostly conducted through social media platforms. People should be proud of whom they are and children they bear but the society handles them differently and most probably negatively. The discrimination also leads to dropping out of school since it affects them psychologically.
Education sector for people with disability is very expensive, especially special needs schools, in which they are few. As a result you will find many parents from humble background due to inability to take their children to special schools they would rather stay with their kids at home or just take the kids to other schools as a rite of passage and without much care of whether the child will learn or not.
Disability is not inability, hence these people require more attention, care and support because out of them we can find great people. For the government to ensure that these people no longer feel left out, first it should come up with empowerment programs which are headed with disability, through this program this people will feel considered, motivated and empowered. Even the society will understand and learn to accept them fully through the empowerments and also how to handle them. Empowerment is also essential in giving them moral and mental support, which is very important.
Opening of more special needs government schools including higher learning institutions to sponsor them in their learning would be of great positive impact to most of them. This will enable those with financial constraints of accessing education to access.
Another thing coming up with development projects for them instead of most of them begging with cups on the streets, the government can fundraise for them capital to run small businesses like selling sweets for those willing. Some of them can run a business well if given the required support to undertake it.
We are all one, hence there is need to unite for great developments and achievements to take place. If the country enhances its weakest points to strengths, the future for the country will be brighter and better than before.
STUDENT MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY
John Kamau