Differently-abled citizens let nothing hold them back

Farmer says differently-abled persons are held back due to a lack of self-belief, encouragement

MULTAN:  

Two years ago, Luqman’s world came to a stuttering halt when he lost both his legs in a motorcycle accident. That day was the dawn of a new reality for the 45-year-old farmer who was the only breadwinner for a family of four.

With the responsibility of running a household and sending two children to school, Luqman had to face this new reality head-on. However, these troubles were compounded by the fact that he was unable to feed his animals which were producing insufficient milk for the family’s use.

That is when he heard a distant rumour about a silage (fermented, high-moisture stored fodder) entrepreneur selling the commodity approximately two kilometres away. “I attached a cart to my wheelchair and wheeled myself to the farm where I received a small bale to feed to my animals,” he relates.

For Luqman, that moment was similar to the sun peeking through the clouds after a long and tumultuous storm. I can now get small bales near my home, which I carry home on a cart. This has completely changed my life, he says.
On the day International Day for People with Disabilities (December 3), Luqman is serving as an inspiration for those around him, and perhaps others like him.

As a result of being able to provide nutritious fodder, Luqman’s animals now produce more milk; their milk production has gone up by 1.5 kg per day. He is able to sell the surplus milk produced for an additional Rs3,600 every month.

“Differently-abled persons are often categorised as unable to be financially independent. They are held back from working due to a lack of self-belief and encouragement from those around them. This severely hinders their capacity to make an independent living,” he adds.

The farmer is determined to helping others who are struggling. “Poverty and hunger are big hurdles to overcome. However, with a little help, I have proven that I can be financially independent,” he states.

Nearly a two hour drive away in Kot Addu is a story similar to Luqman’s. Siddique, a 35-year-old differently-abled farmer, was also the victim of an accident which claimed his legs. “I own five buffaloes and a small piece of land where my wife and I cultivate crops for domestic use,” he says.

He reveals that after receiving some help from specialists, he was able to improve the animals’ milk yield. Now he is able to earn Rs10,000 by selling milk in the market.

Meanwhile, in Baseerpur in Okara district, lives 50-year-old Dorana Bibi with her differently-abled son Kashif. She says that as a result of being provided silage for her seven animals, her income has increased. She is able to sell the surplus milk produced in order to buy medicines for herself and her son.

For all three individuals, help was provided in the form of the Market Development Facility (MDF), a programme aided by the Australian government which helps differently-abled citizens.

MDF Country Director Jamal Khan says that the aim of the programme is to focus on agri-ability and to improve the quality of lives by promoting and improving access to equal opportunities for participation and contribution.

MDF Communications Specialist Roha Tariq highlights that one of the main problems faced by small scale dairy farmers in Pakistan is the limited availability of nutritious animal feed. Silage is mainly sold to commercial dairy farmers neglecting smaller farmers, who constitute 80% of the dairy sector in Pakistan, she added.

Differently-abled individuals have ideas, skills and talents like everyone else. If they are supported in the right manner, they have an enormous potential to overcome societal hurdles, replacing poverty and hunger with sustainable livelihoods, she concludes.