PWDs Mesmerise Bamenda Population With Amazing Talents

By Raymond Dingana

During celebrations to mark the 2020 edition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities ,Thursday, PWDs otherwise known as persons with special abilities, showcased various talents such as craft, racing, football by Amputees amongst others that took the population spellbound.

This gesture of theirs revealed to the population that, no matter their disability, they can practically exhibit any activity they so desire to do with the potentials and skills they have.

The Strategic Center for Communication, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development CESCOMPSUD, joined other CSOs in Bamenda to celebrate the day at the CBC School Field under the theme “Not all Disabilities are Visible.”  

According to Fon Dieudonne, CEO of Think Big and also one of the organizers, people with disabilities should be given the chance to do  what they desire. "We want to encourage those with impairments to join us to project their talents and show the world they can do great things towards building an inclusive society".

To him, this will create more awareness on the fact that persons with disabilities are not only at the receiving end, but can contribute in the betterment of the society. He added that people should call them during capacity building, arts and crafts, people should  call them when they want to build a community bridge and people should call them during sporting events among others.

As indicated by the executive director of CESCOMSUP,  Rosaline Obah, the main aim of such a day is to promote inclusiveness and a healthier community   which is one of the objective of her organization.  ''Our organization is out to ensure peaceful, sustainable and  healthier communities and to have one, we cannot exclude persons with special abilities. Reasons why we have equally been putting hands on deck to ensure everything is available for this year's celebration." 

The Executive Director intimated that  a lot of work still has to be done and so the awareness won't stop as CESCOMSUP has earmarked a series of activities which will enhance  the need to create more awareness. 

   "In our Capacity Building, in our outreach in communities and in other activities CESCOMSUP is going to ensure that, even if we have 100 people, group of persons with special abilities will be included in the activities. CESCOMSUP is working hand in hand with  organizations that are specialized with people with special abilities and they will not only benefit from training workshops but assistance since some are internally displaced.”

She used this occasion to invite all stakeholders to be inclusive in every engagement with the community beginning from the structural set up of their organizations that can always welcome persons with disabilities to benefit from ranging from employment opportunities, capacity building to income generating activities that will help them and families become self sustainable.

It should be noted that, the severity of one's disability does not determine their full potentials as such one could say diversity and inclusion requires value for every human despite their differences.