By Foday Moriba Conteh
Sierra Leone, like other developing countries, has experienced a plethora of difficulties in addressing the needs, welfare and dignity of persons with disabilities in the country. There are certain organizations that are very keen in order to strive for a transformed continent where persons with disabilities- from children to adults, men and women – enjoy equal rights and thrive in the country.
One of those organizations is the One Family People (OFP) which, over the years, has done extremely well in the direction of ‘Breaking barriers’ for people with disabilities and supports the realization of rights, wellbeing and equalization of opportunities for all Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across the country.
During the commemoration of the International Women’s Day which is observed annually on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about women’s equality, lobby for accelerated gender equality across the globe, One Family People joined the Kids Advocacy Network and Polio Persons Development Association(POPDA) to commemorate the International Day of Women with an Educational Festival for Women & Girls with Disabilities at Polio Camp Magbenteh, Makeni City on the theme: Breaking the Bias for Women’s Empowerment. Everyone! No one out!
Speaking during the event, Councilor for Ward 212 Constituency 37, Adama Conteh who is visually impaired commended the One Family People for their strides towards the transformation and development of persons with disabilities across the country.
She maintained that in a bid to recognize women with disabilities who have chosen to challenge stigma, discrimination and inequality in their communities the organization awarded 20 eminent women with disabilities who were drawn from different parts of the country with a prestigious award which she described as a move in the right direction, adding that the award served as an motivation to them as women living with disabilities to continue impacting lives in the country.
She also noted that the organization in March 2021 allocated the sum of One Billion, Four hundred and Seventy-Five Million Leones (Le1, 475, 000,000) to its five (5) partner organizations in order to support children living with disabilities in the areas of health, education, livelihood and social inclusion using the inclusive development strategy in the country.
“If I say to highlight all the things One Family People has done for persons living with disabilities in the country, even a day will not be enough. As we join other countries to commemorate the International Women’s Day, I want to use the opportunity on behalf persons living with disabilities especially women living with disabilities to commend One Family People for their tremendous efforts to the empowerment and development of persons living with disabilities in the country,” she maintained.
Other women living with disabilities including members of the Sierra Leone Association for the Blind who were present at the event also showered praises on One Family People for the support the organization has been giving to them and members of the disable community.
It must be noted that over the years the organization has been championing issues of persons living with disabilities in the country. In 2021 the organization held a familiarization engagement with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) on their disaster preparedness and Response Strategy for persons living with disability across the country which was also applauded by members of the disable community.
In a view to evaluate the 10 years existence of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2011 in the country the organization, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Union on Disabilities Issues, with support from Liliane Fonds also convened a National Consultative Meeting to look at the successes and challenges of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2011.
The organization in collaboration with the Institute of Gender Research and Documentation (INGRADOC), Fourah Bay College, and with support from the Liliane Fonds recently validated and shared the findings of the ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ 2021 research conducted in 2021 by talented Sierra Leonean students in the country.
Above were few interventions highlighted that the One Family People has been embarking on all geared towards the stride for a transformed continent where persons with disabilities- from children to adults, men and women – enjoy equal rights and thrive in the country.
