“Walk
for deaf-blind children” marks World Disability Day
Posted on
04 Dec 2005 # ANI
“Walk for deaf-blind children”
marks World Disability Day
New
Delhi/ Bhubaneshwar, Dec 3 : Hundreds of children in the national
Capital came together in support of their physically and mentally challenged
counterparts on Saturday to mark World Disability
Day.
Around
625 children and as many as 300 volunteers gathered for the event under the
banner “Walk for the deaf and blind”
organised by the Smile Foundation, a voluntary organisation that works
together with various non governmental organisation (NGO’s) in support of
children’s health, education
and empowerment.
Children
from various NGO-run schools
funded by the foundation, carrying placards and posters marched down the streets
of the capital to spread awareness and seek true freedom and empowerment for
the physically and mentally challenged in the country.
“The main purpose of this walk for deaf-blind children, is to spread awareness
and work for their rehabilitation and education. In India, we are lagging
behind as far as disabled rights are concerned and mainly in deaf and blinds.
We do not have the kind of awareness regarding deaf and blind, that we see
in other developed countries. So, this is the main objective here,” said Sandip
Nayak, Communication Officer, Smile Foundation.
Meanwhile,
in Bhubaneshwar, the physically challenged observed the day by celebrating
it with colours and staging a street play portraying their problems, needs
and demands.
The differently-abled citizens greeted one another and the public with yellow
and blue coloured powder sending out a cheerful message.
“We
celebrate it to tell people, to tell society that the life of a disabled person
is not a very dull life. It also a life, full of love, full of joy, full of
colours and lots of happiness,” said Sruti Mohapatra, Secretary, Swabhimaan,
a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that organised the event.
Tapaswami Mohanty, a physically challenged girl said, “Disabled people have
low self-esteem and think they cannot do anything. They should come forward
and think they are no less than normal people.”
World
Disability Day holds immense significance for the disability sector. It is
a day to take stock of the achievements of the past year. It is also a good
chance to bring the needs, concerns and rights of persons with disability
into the national limelight.
Government
estimates say about six percent of the country’s more than a billion population
are disabled.
Recent estimates say over 50 percent of the disabled end up with mental challenges
due to poor health care and social stigma attached to it and all too often
their lives go hand in hand with poverty, isolation and despair.