DISABILITY AWARENESS PROGRAMME 2022
An enriching programme on disability awareness was organized for the students and mentors by Livingstone Foundation Society at Livingstone Foundation International on 24th May 2022 on the theme ‘Different but not less’. The programme was organized in active collaboration with the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Nagaland.
Speaking on the occasion as the main Guest Speaker, the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Mrs. Diethono Nakhro highlighted various aspects of disability and its day-to-day challenges that people, especially the young ones face.
Mrs. Diethono spoke on the various kinds of disabilities like Physical Disability which includes locomotor disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment and speech impairment; Intellectual and Developmental Disability or IDD which includes mental retardation and other mental and behavioural disabilities. According to her, many people are less concerned about the disabled people around them. They see them merely as charity objects but are not aware that disabled people also need equitable rights like normal people do.
Speaking on the challenges and barriers, Mrs. Diethono remarked that young people with disability do not have ample access to proper education due to lack of facilities including lack of special educators in the schools meant for normal students. She stated that it was not only the presence of physical barriers like lack of ramps, lifts or elevators for disabled people but even non-physical barriers like inaccessible communication systems lead to innumerable challenges for them. She encouraged the disabled people to be positive and think not lesser than others though they may be different. Asserting that being disabled was nothing to be ashamed about, she remarked that disabled persons were not failed versions of what is perceived as normal by the society around them.
Earlier, the programme began with a word of welcome by Mrs. Ani Yepthomi, the Secretary of Livingstone Foundation Society and Director, Livingstone Foundation International according to whom this initiative by LFS will definitely create a ripple of transformation in not only the education set-up but also in the wider perspective of the society. Highlighting that the programme was an extra mile of effort on the part of Livingstone Foundation Society, she remarked that everybody must help the people with disabilities to focus on their strengths, instead of their weaknesses so that they can enjoy their life like us. According to her, disabled people do not only need the society’s sympathy or pity but also its acceptance and attention.
