First Lady, Arya Ali, on Thursday, handed over 100 relief packages to the Guyana Council of Organisation for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) to help those living with disabilities during the Christmas season.
Mrs. Ali, who had promised the Organisation 80 packages, presented the parcels which comprise household items, during a simple handing over at State House.
The relief packages were received by GCOPD’s Programme Coordinator, Ganesh Singh; GCOPD’s Youth Coordinator, Rosemarie Ramitt; and GCOPD’s Secretary, June Herod.
The donation coincided with International Day of Persons with Disabilities which is being observed globally under the theme: “Build back better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World.”
In October, the First Lady met with representatives from GCOPD and made a solid pledge to support persons with disabilities through the provision of relief packages, and jobs through a Private Sector partnership.
In her message to mark Thursday’s observance, she highlighted the need for the international community to be intentional in including persons with disabilities in its postCOVID-19 recovery programme. She noted that the first step in achieving a more inclusive world is recognizing that persons with disabilities must benefit from a quality education tailored to their individual needs.
“It all starts with education. People living with disabilities cannot fully participate in our economy if they do not have the skills they need,” Mrs. Ali said.
Beyond the classroom, she emphasized the need for more to be done to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in other aspects of life that people without disabilities generally take for granted.
“People with disabilities find it difficult to run basic errands in a world that is quite literally not built for them. Businesses, and government agencies, must make the physical and technological investments necessary for people with disabilities to access their services,” she said.
It is for this reason the First Lady has requested that ramps be installed at the Kingston Seawall to allow persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs to access the tarmac. In addition to medium and long term investments in accessible education and infrastructure, the First Lady was keen to note that there must be a collective recognition that people living with disabilities need immediate economic support to guarantee them a decent standard of living.
The Office of the First Lady has submitted to the private sector, a list of over 200 persons with disabilities who are currently seeking employment. “People with disabilities too deserve to lead sustainable lives, and I hope you will join with me to ensure that no one is left behind as we move forward into the bright future that I know lies ahead of us,” she said.
