Understanding Disability & Inclusion

Naomi Akway: Physical Accessibility Barriers

[00:03] My name is Naomi Akway, and this is my story.

[00:08] I am someone who is very good with my hands, and I am skills-oriented.

[00:12] One day, I had a client who needed me to do something for her.

[00:16] Unfortunately, the building where I could get everything my client wanted was not wheelchair-friendly.

[00:23] I could not access level three.

[00:25] I asked someone nearby to do me a favor and call the shop owner to come down.

[00:32] He went upstairs and informed them that there was a client waiting downstairs.

[00:36] I could see them looking down at me from level three.

[00:41] They said that if I could not come up, then they could not come down.

[00:44] I was devastated.

[00:47] I felt angry and annoyed.

[00:51] I then went to another shop where the staff were more friendly.

[00:55] They had good customer care.

[00:57] When I sent someone to call them, they came down to me.

[01:02] They asked what I wanted and gave me exactly what I needed.

[01:06] With the previous shop, I believe that if there had been a ramp, I would have accessed the shop by myself in a wheelchair.

[01:11] If there had been a wheelchair-friendly lift, it would also have helped.

[01:15] If the owner had been willing to come down, I would have accessed what I really needed.

[01:22] Because of this, no transaction was made.

[01:27] As the saying goes, if the mountain does not go to Muhammad, then Muhammad should go to the mountain.

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Mary Fiona Namade: Social & Attitudinal Barriers

[01:33] Hi everyone, my name is Mary Fiona Namade, and this is my story.

[01:42] My story is about an African wedding.

[01:45] I was on the groom’s side.

[01:48] We went to the bride’s family to officially introduce ourselves.

[01:53] After the introduction, we were to return with our bride.

[02:00] When we arrived, people reacted negatively when they saw me.

[02:03] They said that our family even had such people.

[02:09] They said their daughter would give birth to a child living with albinism.

[02:15] This really hurt me.

[02:20] I remained calm because we needed the bride for my brother.

[02:30] When we met the elders of the bride, they reacted in the same way.

[02:39] They questioned why their daughter would bring such a person into their family.

[02:43] They used a derogatory term for persons with albinism.

[02:49] The word they used was namagoye.

[02:52] That word was very rude and painful.

[02:57] I stayed calm.

[03:00] After we received our bride, we returned home.

[03:03] The world can be a better place to live in.

[03:07] This can happen if we welcome everyone in their differences.

[03:10] People in all categories can live better lives.

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Muambu Musa: Institutional & Educational Barriers

[03:12] My name is Muambu Musa.

[03:18] My story starts when I was at university.

[03:25] I studied community-based rehabilitation.

[03:27] One of my course units was ICT.

[03:33] One day, we went to do a test.

[03:38] I was one of three hundred students.

[03:44] I was the only one with a visual impairment.

[03:47] The lecturer wrote the questions on the blackboard.

[03:51] I could not read the questions myself.

[03:53] I requested the lecturer to dictate the questions to me.

[03:58] I wanted to answer the test in Braille.

[04:02] The lecturer said he was not there to do that.

[04:08] He said he did not have the expertise to help me.

[04:15] He asked me to go to the resource center for the blind.

[04:21] It was Saturday morning.

[04:28] The resource center was closed.

[04:30] I knew that if I left the class, I would not do the test.

[04:38] The test contributed twenty percent of my final exam.

[04:42] I insisted that I had the right to do the test with my colleagues.

[04:49] I remained seated without attention from the lecturer.

[05:05] After some time, he came and dictated the questions.

[05:07] He said he would not be responsible for any mistakes.

[05:14] He repeated that he did not have the expertise.

[05:21] I felt sad.

[05:25] I felt left alone.

[05:29] I kept asking myself why, out of three hundred students, it was only me.

[05:36] If the university had clear policies, this would not have happened.

[05:56] During lessons, lecturers would say click here or click there.

[06:00] I never understood what that meant.

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Robert Sivagude: Employment & Communication Barriers

[06:03] Hello, I am Robert Sivagude.

[06:11] This is my story.

[06:14] I was at home looking through job adverts.

[06:21] I saw an advert encouraging people with disabilities to apply.

[06:30] I felt this opportunity was meant for me.

[06:34] I applied and submitted my documents.

[06:44] I felt confidence.

[06:51] I was shortlisted for an interview.

[07:04] On the interview day, I entered the room expecting an interpreter.

[07:22] There was no interpreter.

[07:28] None of the panel members knew sign language.

[07:40] I wrote that I am deaf and need an interpreter.

[07:58] They put my CV aside.

[08:06] I was asked to step outside.

[08:18] It was painful.

[08:24] Later, I applied to another organization.

[08:28] This time, I was successful.

[08:32] I now train organizations on inclusive recruitment.

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Understanding & Removing Barriers

[08:58] Barriers are obstacles people with disabilities experience.

[09:24] These barriers include attitudes, communication, accessibility, and policies.

[09:42] Negative attitudes lead to discrimination.

[10:08] Communication barriers arise when accessible formats are missing.

[10:33] Accessibility barriers prevent access to buildings and services.

[10:51] Policy barriers exclude people when needs are not considered.

[11:10] Removing barriers allows full participation.

[11:24] Think of Naomi, Mary Fiona, Musa, and Robert.

[11:30] What barriers did they face, and what can be done to remove them?