Special persons clamour for inclusiveness, welfare package

To create an inclusive society and reduce poverty level, the need to empower persons living with disabilities and advocacy for sexual reproductive health and family planning has been canvassed.
   
Director, House of Eleanora, Boyo Eleanora,  made the call at the International day for disability persons organised by the United Nations in collaboration with Speaking Fingers Network, in Lagos. Eleanora disclosed that the Foundation reaches out to female persons living with disabilities in train craft and fashion skills as well as enlighten them on their sexual reproductive health and family planning. 
 
According to her, the entrepreneurship skills workshop will groom, package and fortify them to meet with modern challenge. She urged the government to be inclusive and help the special persons with welfare packages
 
Sikemi Alayerogun, head of the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired Persons, a Kwara State Polytechnic Bio-Chemistry graduate, who lost her sight since 2013, urged government to sensitise and educate the people, as being disabled is not the end of the world, as there is ability in disability. “People Living With Disability (PLWD), should be treated with love, respect and consideration,” she said.
 
She maintained that she left the Kwara State Society of the Blind to Lagos for vocational training that will help her build her confidence, stay happy, and wake up to her responsibilities, socially, economically, and improve leadership skills. “I am empowered by this vocational skills training, I can write with braid and work with the computers, do bead bags, and tie and dye,” she added.
 
The highpoint of the event were the display amazing talents by the students ranging from display of decorated craft to fashion items produced by the special persons, free HIV tests by House of Eleanor, and networking.Convener, Speaking Fingers Network, Mrs. Treasure Uchegbu, urged Government, parents and individuals to invest in more people living with disabilities in life, saying: “We are not building society but great collaborators.”