Monrovia – A veteran Liberian educator, Mother Mary Brownell, has called on the Liberian government and partners to do more to improve the lives of the blind and visually impaired people in Liberia.
Mother Brownell, serving as a keynote speaker at programs marking this year’s observance of the World Sight and White Cane Safety Day in Sinkor, Monrovia, noted much had not been done to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Liberia.
“We should do everything within our powers to see that all blinds get education because once you are educated you can provide for yourself and your family.
Unfortunately our school building is not built in such a way to accommodate the blinds,” she said.
Lamenting on the lack of adequate schools to accommodate people with disabilities, Brownell called on the government to incorporate visually impaired students.
She observed that instead of the white cane, children are often used to carry their blind parents, something she described as troubling.
“We like to see campuses not only in the Monrovia area or Montserrado, but all through the 15 counties of Liberia to accommodate our disabled brothers and sisters.
Nowadays instead of the white cane, little children, being deprived of their education, are used to carry their parents all around town begging for food and five [Liberian] dollars.”
So let the government intervene and enable the kids to go to school to take care of themselves tomorrow,” the veteran educator urged.
Meanwhile, the Project Coordinator of the Lion Club donated 15 collapsible canes (folding light weight canes) to the National Union of organizations for the Disabled (NUOD).
Making the presentation, Lion Club Project Coordinator, Mildred Dean said her organization would continue to render support to the visually impaired people to meet their potentials.
She disclosed that the Lion Club recently distributed about 350 dark glasses to visually impaired people who benefited from an eye-screening and surgeries at 13 locations in Monrovia and its surroundings, including the Redemption Hospital, Soniwein Community, Logan Town, Johnsonville and Mount Barclay.
Also speaking at the occasion, the President of the Christian Association of the Blind, Beyan Kota thanked the government for apportioning a legislative seat for people with disability. He called on his colleagues to make better use of the opportunity.
This year’s official celebration of the World Sight and White Cane Safety Day followed an official proclamation by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declaring October 15, 2015 to be celebrated throughout the length and breadth of Liberia as a working holiday.
The celebration was held under the theme “Eye Health, Call to Action” Stronger together, Combating Discrimination, Empowering and Promoting Awareness through Dignity on Safe Travelling of the Blind.”
It began with a grand parade from the Ministry of Gender and climaxed with an indoor program at the Monrovia Christian Fellowship Center.
The mission of White Cane Day is to educate the world about blindness and how the blind and visually impaired can live and work independently while giving back to their community to celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and honor the many contributions being made by the blind and visually impaired.
It is also intended to celebrate the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.
It was first celebrated in the United States in 1964 when a joint resolution of the US Congress, signed into law by the President Lyndon B. Johnson.
The resolution authorized the President of the United States to Proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane and safety Day.
In 2011, the day was also named Blind Americans Equality Day by President Barack Obama.
Gerald C. Koinyeneh 0880881540 – [email protected]