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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Sunday News Reporter
STAKEHOLDERS who participated at the 11th Edition of the National Disability Expo which was held in Gwanda have hailed Government for creating an inclusive platform where people with disabilities can showcase their talents as well as network with providers of various assistive products.
The expo’s key focus was to enable those living with disabilities to be aware of existing technologies, equipment, aids, services and products that can allow them to live a fuller life. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima, officially opened the expo on Friday on behalf of President Mnangagwa.
More than 100 participants which included organisations of people with disabilities (PWDs), affiliates and associates of organisations of PWDs, Government ministries and other stakeholders participated at the expo.
Zimbabwe Association of the Deaf project manager, Mr Jahile Ncube said the expo was a great platform for people with disability to demystify myths.
“It’s important for people with disabilities to have a platform where they can come together and interact with their counterparts. This can help boost the confidence of people with disabilities and it also helps them broaden the way they see things. Society is able to see that having a disability is not a curse and that people with disabilities are like any other people in community.
“Gone are the days where people with disability had to keep their heads low and when they had to remain hidden. This is also a good opportunity for us as service providers for people with disability to interact with our clientele and share with them the products that we offer. More than anything, the persons with disabilities get an opportunity to build one another through this expo,” he said.
Leonard Cheshire Disability Orthopaedic Centre, lower limb prosthetist, Ms Ophia Bwanali said the expo enabled her organisation to share critical information with people with disabilities. She said people with disability sometimes get shortchanged when trying to obtain assistive devices. Ms Bwanali said as an organisation that deals with the production and supply of assistive devices, they have managed to sensitise their clients.
“Some people get shortchanged when buying assistive devices. Some are given substandard devices while in some cases people are given the wrong devices altogether. It’s important for a person to go through a thorough disability assessment before they are allocated an assistive device. A wrong device can cause further damage to the body of a person with disability.
“During the expo we were able to identify some people who need devices and they also got to know about our services and how they can access them. As an institution we want people with disabilities to live their lives without limitations,” she said.
King Geoge VI Centre social worker, Mr Hawulethu Ndlovu said it was pleasing to see the disability expo rotating across provinces. He said this would go a long way in identifying talent among people with disabilities in all corners of the country.
He said there were talented youngsters with disabilities in remote parts of the country who needed to be groomed.
“We often look at the physical make-up of people with disabilities and we rule them out. If we focus on their talent and what they can offer we will be amazed. Youngsters with disability are gifted in various sectors. Some are good in art, some craft, some singing other poetry among other fields. If these children can be supported, they will go far in life,” he said.
Zimbabwe Albino Association (ZIMAS) administrator, Ms Adileth Munyoro said the involvement of various stakeholders was a clear indication that the country was making progress towards mainstreaming and inclusion of people with disabilities.
This year’s edition of the National Disability Expo was held under the theme “Holistic empowerment of youth and children with disabilities towards the attainment of Vision 2030. A better and brighter future for everyone.”
Under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, the Second Republic has made great strides towards the creation of an inclusive society that recognises the rights of people with disabilities, while opening up opportunities for them in empowerment programmes.
Conscious of the need to take everyone on board, in June 2021, President Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy. This was followed by the setting up of the Technical National Coordination Committee in 2022 to provide guidance on the implementation of the policy.
The launching of the committee was also aimed at addressing the preconditions necessary for the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention of the rights of the persons with disabilities in 2013. Since the ratification of the convention, Zimbabwe has adopted a raft of measures to advance the rights of people with disabilities.
The National Disability Policy came at a time when Zimbabweans are collectively moving towards achieving the national vision of an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income society by 2030.
The policy calls on Government and other stakeholders to ensure access to employment for persons with disabilities and strive to ensure that 15 percent of the workforce in all sectors comprise people with disabilities. -@DubeMatutu
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