We are humans too - disabled

A section of people living with disabilities at the meeting.

NGEVINI – About 92 people living with disabilities under the Ngcamphalala Chiefdom want traditional authorities in the area to recognise them as human beings

They said this on Saturday during a meeting at Ngevini.
According to Chairperson of the Association for People Living with Disabilities in the area, Sifiso Nhleko, the area has 92 people living with disabilities.

Challenges

The meeting was deliberating on the challenges faced by people living with disabilities in the area. The area is within the sphere of development by Swaziland Water Agricultural Development Enterprise (SWADE). People in the area and surrounding areas have been empowered by SWADE through agricultural schemes especially in growing sugar cane through associations. 

What worries people living with disabilities under Ngevini Chiefdom is that out of the 92 none of them were not included in the developments and yet they were the ones deprived of many opportunities in society. They said they had hopes that the empowerment by SWADE would at least benefit them.

“The chiefdom’s inner council has let us down as they have done nothing to include us in the development yet they know that we exist. They have not approved our involvement in the development. To which King do we belong, and to which government do we belong? When we apply for jobs we are not employed because of our conditions,” said Nhleko.
“Even during elections, I was not pointed when raising my hand intending to nominate in all the categories at my chiefdom regardless of seating in a visible place until I became tired and could raise my hand no more,” Nhleko continued.

“We request government to educate the nation about people living with disabilities so as to avoid this prevailing stigma against us.  We request that such educators must be other people living with disabilities like it usually happens with some organisations of people living with HIV.  We are also human beings and deserve to be included in development.  People without disabilities treat us as if we are animals and government and development agencies do not take us into consideration when implementing development. We also need resources to survive.

We are, as an association of people living with disabilities, also requesting for help from whosoever  to help us either financially or materially as we aim at helping  people like ourselves earn a living in the area,” said Nhleko.

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