Necessary Aid Alliance, a youth-led non-governmental organization with support from Plan Ghana International, has organized an educational drama to sensitize individuals on the need to include people living with disabilities in all sectors of their lives.
The drama was dubbed” Tezaawanuba” in the local dialect, meaning we are all human.
The drama was live-streamed in the Wa Senior High assembly hall, with young and vibrant youth displaying their acting skills to educate and entertain the guests.
The drama was performed in the local language with scintillating scenes to convey the project objectives.
The drama brought to life the discrimination and stigma disabled individuals face in our societies and advocated for such malice to stop.
In careful deliberation with the federation of people living with disabilities, the Necessary Aid Alliance was informed that they would prefer to be called “Differently Able” not disabled.
It means that even though they are visually Impaired, hearing Impaired and can not walk; they can do other things for themselves.
The project coordinator, Madam Shazia, said the project aims to bring on board urgent precautions and interventions to curb the physical and emotional abuses that disabled people face within our societies and environment through education.
According to her, “The physical abuse and utter disdain are emotionally wrecking which necessitates an urgent intervention to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities through education and drama”.
Miss Shazia stressed how the rights of such individuals in the rural communities are violated, limiting them with beliefs and sometimes attributing the conditions to spiritualities.
She said, “They are highly marginalized and denied their rights. In broad daylight, their rights are infringed and trampled upon leaving them in distasteful and sorrowful conditions”.
She mentioned that aside from the Wa senior high assembly hall, the drama covered six communities in the Wa East and Wa West districts with positive feedback from the communities.
Addressing the guests and dignitaries present, Mr Songsore Mulumba, the Executive Director for Necessary Aid Alliance, highlighted the significance of the project and how it has impacted the lives of many. He, therefore, called on everyone to stop the stigma and discrimination.
The drama brought together dignitaries from government departments, students and teachers from the two special schools in the Wa municipality, stakeholders from other organizations and students from the host school.
Mr Seidu K Ibrahim appealed to parents and guardians not to limit the potential of their children because of their conditions.
“After birth, my parent was asked to throw me away because of my condition, that’s visually impaired,” he said.
Stakeholders and students who were present for the program gave a positive and resounding response and pledged to advocate for the inclusion of people living with disabilities and also thanked Necessary Aid Alliance for the education given to them through the drama.
Meanwhile, plans and arrangements are still ongoing for the drama to take effect in the rest of the communities in the municipality.
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