Disable International say they have a solution to Sierra Leone’s disability issues
The Disable International Foundation Sierra Leone (DIF-SL) organisation was registered in 2008 to ensure that the disabled of all categories are catered for by providing them shelters, skill training and learning facilities, micro finance, start up kits and educational support for disable children.
DIF-SIL have hit the ground running by visiting disabled persons at Pademba Road central of the capital of Freetown and providing wives and female polio persons with start up capital to do business.
A piece of land in Lungi Kaffu Bullum has been bought for the establishment of a disable center and another piece of land has been earmarked at Combema village in Kenema east of Sierra Leone.
DIF-SIL has also visited the headquarter town of Makeni that is paying host to a good number of disabled persons including the Polio Persons Development Association in Makeni.
Imambay Kadie Kamara Executive Director and founder of Disable International Foundation at one of the land sites
Mathew Trolley, Chairman for the Polio Persons Development Association (POPDA) raised concerns about the degree of neglect they are suffering at the hands of the government and international human rights organizations.
He said the center for Polio Person Development Association is currently hosting hundreds of polio persons with various skills training centers to enable them learn and help them out of the streets to live a life of their own.
He said the aim of the organisation is to get all disabled persons off the streets and said they are gradually overcoming that challenge as they succeeded in adopting various life assuring programs and innovations such as story-telling. Trolley said it is not easy taking the disabled off the streets as many of them have imbibed in the habits of begging. Many abandoned the center in search of food leaving their tools and equipment unattended, he said.
Another major problem they are envisaging is a host centre for the blind as they are currently lacking accommodation. He said this is why a good number of them are roaming about the various streets of the country.
Imambay Kadie Kamara interacting with the disabled
DIF-SL observed during the tour in Makeni that the physically challenged persons are growing in number almost equaling to the able bodied in the country which makes it difficult to cater for them and in terms of accessing free medical care, transportation and free education for all disabled.
DIF-SL’s aims and objectives are gearing towards bringing all persons with disabilities together and harmonizing them in skills and vocational training.
Imambay Kadie Kamara Executive Director and founder of Disable International Foundation, a daughter of a disabled mother, who is sharing the plight of the disabled that she decided to set up a disabled organisation to not only get them off the streets but she intends to make their lives better.
Seventy percent of children whose parents are physically challenged often grow up with criminal tendencies and the foundation is trying to shape their fortunes for the good.
Regardless of the many challenges the disabled persons face, the Executive Director and Founder believes this is a race that she must run, victory to be won, hence she prays that God empowers every hour she goes through.
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