In a bid to identify with the plights of vulnerable children and show some love and affection to Students with Disabilities and persons living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHIV), Kishimi Shelter and Care Foundation (KSCF) commemorated the 2022 International Day of Persons with Disabilities IDPD, and World Aids Day celebration at Special Education Centre, Gombe on Saturday.
The Foundation, INN learnt, has been providing humanitarian supports to the Deaf and Blind students of the centre for several years purposely to ensure the Children with Disabilities (CWDs) acquire qualitative education.
In her opening remarks during the programme, the Executive Director of KSCF, Mrs Grace Samuel said the event is an opportunity to create awareness on the plights of CWDs and provide enabling environment for these children.
“Because of the situation PLWHIV and PWDs found themselves. We mobilize and sensitize people about the virus, the preventive measures, and to see how they can be fully accepted in the society without any form of discrimination”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director of Rehabilitation, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWASD), Mal. Sani Mukhtar, appreciated the state Governor, Alh Muhamadu Inuwa Yahaya, for his tireless efforts to see that everyone is carried along and keep up to the Ministry’s demands.
He said, ” The MWASD is appreciative of KSCF for creating job opportunities and empowering the youth, vulnerable groups especially People with Special Needs”.
On his part, the traditional ruler and elder Alhaji Yaya Hamari, noted that, “creating awareness to the public is key in commemorating a day like this”
He reiterated further that, “the event serves as an opportunity to call on government at all levels to come to the aid of these special set of people with provisions of basic structures and equipments for their health and physical needs”
‘I call on the state government and philanthropist to consider providing PWDs with employment in various ministries, department and agencies. Buildings should also be equipped with accessible structures to facilitate easy mobility of PWDs into the building. Job opportunities and vocational training center should be created for PWD for them to earn a living after school life” he urged.
In his goodwill message, Principal of Special Education Centre, Mal Saidu Jijji Gadam , thanked the Executive Director of KSCF for her constant support to the centre, stressing that history of the school cannot be completed without mentioning her and her tremendous contributions and support to the students and the school at large.
He used the occasion to appeal to the state government to help the school solve it’s pressing problems which, according to him, includes lack of health care clinic, medicines, mosquito nets, construction of drainage in the school to control erosion, making of sign boards to help the blind locate different sections of the school, provision of hearing aids for the deaf students, provision of sign language books for the newly enrolled Deaf students, wheelchairs and crutches for the physically challenged, among others.
The United Nations backed 2022 international day of persons with disabilities was celebrated on December 3 under the unified theme “Transformative Solution for Inclusive Development; the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world” while the World Aids Day 2022 was celebrated on 1st December under the theme ” Equalize” which simply translates as a symbol of zero discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS all over the world.