Disability Rights and Inclusion Matters (DRIMs), a local Non-Governmental Organization based in Bo has carried out a two-day training at the Sir Milton Margai Chesire Home, Tikonko road. This NGO focuses on issues affecting the lives of people with disabilities especially youths.
The training took place on the 31st August and the 1st September 2022. Declaring the training officially opened, Sylvanus Fannah who happens to be the Project Manager for DRIMs encouraged the participants to ‘look beyond their physical challenges and take up various careers that their God- given talents can allow them.’ He stated that disables are no longer a burden to society as widely perceived by society in the past. He said the training was done at the time schools were about to reopen as they are disables who are calling on government to make public offices and all educational institutions easily accessible to disables.
He cited it as discriminatory for them not to be able easily access these institutions. The theme of the training was ‘Empowering Youths with Disabilities and Increasing Their Access to Education’.
The training was sponsored by SUMH from Denmark.
And the pilot phase targets Bo and Moyamba districts. There are plans to extend it to the entire country if it works out well.
The facilitator for the training was Unfa Alie Bangura, an expert in project and financial management.
He entreated the disables to look inwards and bring out their various talents as according to him ‘disability is not inability’.
It was interactive and educative as participants seem to understand issues discussed. Project Manager, Sylvanus Fannah looks upbeat about the future of disables as he made reference to the Disability Act. He encouraged disables to read the Act, be au-fait with it as it plays to their interest.
Mr. Sheriff who is the Officer Manager for DRIMS in concluding appealed to youths to keep the hopes and dreams alive as they ‘have started making impact already in their various communities.