Young people with handicaps inspire with their determination

Better opportunities, inclusivity can create level playing field.

ISLAMABAD:

Disability is not synonymous with incompetence, all it requires is an enabling environment for persons with disabilities to showcase their hidden talent.

This was the message conveyed by a number of young people suffering from disabilities at various events held on Tuesday to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on December 3. The theme this year was “Break barriers, open doors: for an inclusive society for all.”

Mohammad Umer Javaid, 17, who was born without hands, is an inspiration for many. A ninth-grader, he creates truck art with his foot. He has exhibited his paintings at various exhibitions and so far sold 100 of them. “I started with sketching and later learned truck art. I love to play with lines and colours,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Javaid said that he wants to open his own art gallery where he would provide opportunity to disabled persons to display their artwork in future. “Usually when people see me they feel pity for me but when they see that I do all my work with my foot without depending on anyone, they praise me,” he said.



Atif Ali, 17, lost his hand when he was just nine-years-old. He  participated in the Special Olympics held in Malaysia and won a gold medal. He cannot forget the evening of October 7, 2005, it was raining heavily and he was standing near a transformer. Suddenly an electric wire broke and fell near him. “Trying to protect myself, I grasped the electric wire and burnt my hands. The next day I woke up in a hospital bed without hands. At that time I was too young to accept it,” he said.

He would refuse when his friends invited him to play cricket with them. “But later with the support of family and friends I overcame all this and now I do all my work with my foot and don’t depend on anyone.”

Mohammad Awais, 25, a BCom student suffered brain injury at birth which resulted in physical disability.”I’m on a wheelchair but it does not mean that I cannot do what others can,” he said. He plays cricket with his friends and is a very good spin bowler. “People say that I cannot play cricket but every time I prove them wrong.”

Special Education Director General Ghayur Sultana said, “Pakistan is blessed with talented youngsters who just because of their disability are unable to make their mark. However, there are many who try but lack encouragement.”

She said recently the federal government with the support of International Labour Organisation conducted a survey and it is estimated there are over 20,000 disabled persons living in Islamabad Capital Territory.

According to the job quota in place, 6,000 disabled persons should be employed in various public and private organisations but at present only 2,500 have been hired. She said that for disabled persons, accessibility and proving them an inclusive environment has always remained a challenge however all-out efforts are underway for the effective implementation of accessibility codes at the federal level. “Early intervention centres will also be established in the capital where children born with various forms of disability from the time of birth to five years of age will be treated.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2013.