Is disability a challenge?

The UN says there are at least 60m disabled people in Africa. But are they being catered for by the societies they live in?

Disabled people are often excluded from schools and therefore have limited opportunities to find work. For many begging becomes a sole means of survival.

But some disabled people are taking control of their future, according to the UN body African Decade of Person With Disability. It says, "soon we will be leading the world in numbers of disabled entrepreneurs."

Are you a disabled person who feels stigmatised by society? What would improve your quality life? Or perhaps you've overcome your disability to gain a prominent position in society? What opportunities are available for the physically disabled person?

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

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Your comments:

I will start by telling a small story. Okello, a then 16 year old pupil in Purongo IDP Camp in Amuru District was escorting his mother to the garden when a landmine bomb blasted and cut off both legs and one arm. The invalid stayed in Lacor Hospital in Gulu for nearly a year until a missionary offered to buy him an automatic wheel Chair. Now Okello rolls on his wheel, with one hand controlling all the buttons on his transport. He uses the same hand to write his exams and yet he still manages to pass fairly well. He washes and irons, lays his bed and washes himself with the same hand. And yet Okello is not even recognized by the government! That is the challenge.
David Otto Labeja, Uganda

If I call myself disabled I am hindering my own self. There are times when the term needs to be used; but not all the time. One should not be judged by the colour of his skin or anything else for that matter; but on the content of his character.
living with it, America

We, I mean governments and all people in Africa, have deliberately divorced ourselves from the true needs of our brothers and sisters with disabilities. The reason: we're so preoccupied with the vanity of African politics and greed. There're no serious programmes to address their needs. Honestly speaking, we're not serious and we have, in essence, become their hindrance.
Kingsley Jika,

This is not only an African issue. It is worldwide. And it is not only about those with mobility problems - it is also about those who do not hear, think, behave or see like so-called 'normal' people. The bottom line is - livelihood, and the opportunity to make a useful contribution to family or economy. The best strategy for achieving this is to enable representative organisations of people with impairments to work as advocates for change, at international, national and local levels.
Michael Davies, Philippines

I have a Bachelors degree in computer science and I can see a brighter future ahead of me because I accepted myself the way I am. I agree that disability is a challenge - not because of the way he/she handles the issue. If I sit down, hide behind the corner and cry for mercy I'm not solving anything but if I stand up for my rights as a person with a disability and prove to people that I can do it they will accept me. Some people act out of ignorance so we've to correct them.
Motho, Botswana

It's a pity that our streets today are overcrowded by disable persons fighting for something to eat. Poverty and greed is responsible for these mishaps in our society today. If rehabilitations centre are created by the government and other philanthropist step in, this will help some of this disable people. Some of them lack the support from the society and we need to encourage them.
Eric Mbumbouh, Bamenda,Cameroon

Its high time the disabled people educated their members they can do more in our society, than stand by the roadside to ask for arms. Not only that its time for governments to work very hard to free help out the disable persons. There are so many opportunities for the physically challenged person but how many of them are ready to work and how many employers are ready to employ them.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso , Accra Ghana

In my country, Sierra Leone, disability is often viewed as inability. They are derided, scorned and neglected. There is an increase in the number of disabled people which is largely due to the war, when peoples limbs were hacked off. The government has done little to improve the lives of these people. Thanks to some NGO's who have provided shelter. It is about time people changed their mentality about disabled people and remember that these people did not beg to enter the world of the disabled.
Joseph P. Abu, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Some of the beggars in my capital city Kampala are disabled. Every time I pass them I greet them and give them a coin. This is not to encourage them to stay on the streets but to help with what to eat. There are programmes that have been put in place to help the disabled, in fact today you may even wish to be disabled to be admitted on government sponsorship at Makerere university because the points required for admissions are low as compared to anyone else. The disabled can do a number of jobs that do not require both legs and arms but the brain. These programmes are in place and the disabled just need to tap them, disability is not inability.
Prossy Nannyombi, Entebbe, Uganda

Yes i think it is a challenge. A challenge to break away from self pity and relying on others to make a living. My younger brother is disabled but today he does not rely on anybody to live because he realised from the beginning that he should feel less pity for himself and that handwork is the key to sustaining himself and gaining respect. He had the opportunity of going through a vocation training centre. Governments should do more to help disabled persons by providing free education and more vocation centres so that they can be self employed.
Chinedu Ibeabuchi, Lagos, Nigeria

We have a long way to go in Africa in meeting the needs of disabled. disability is seen as a disappointed and shame on family. instead of helping them to achieve their full potential in life.
Memunat Yusuf , England

Disability is in our mind. Such a thing hardly exist. One's heart should be able. There are people whom have all their organs functioning but do nothing to improve their life and depend to others. At the same time there are people who are born without arms and legs but are self-sufficient.
we are alone, U.S.A.

The number of people with disabilities is increasing in Africa. By investigating on Africa streets, we notice an overwhelming need of individuals requiring wheelchairs and assistance. The immediate way forward is to encourage governments and private organisations to provide source of financial and technical assistance for civilians who suffer from mobility-related injuries. More donations, appropriate prosthetic services and social integration would contribute to reduce dependency and burden placed on family and community.
Stephane Ndoumba,

I live in Livingstone, where one of the seven wonders of the world is. Many physically challenged can not access it because of infrastructure that does not allow them. Unfair.
Pauline Songiso,

I am physically disabled but I do not see this as a hindrance to any goals I want to achieve in life. However sometimes society tends to confuse disability with inability. Disabled persons are just as ABLE to perform like persons without disabilities if given the chance. As a disabled person, it is your duty, just like any one else to prove yourself that you can perform before thinking that you are being stigmatised.
Senator Moonga, Botswana

Yes disability is a challenge. I have seen so many disabled subjected to a beggar's life on the streets of Lagos. While some disabled Africans have turned into success stories, they will tell you that it was anything but easy and most people didn't give them much of a chance. They should be given a chance and the African government should do what it can to make their lives a little bit easier.
Chika Moses, Nigeria