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Enabling people with disabilities to become key citizens

DESPITE the many challenges faced by Namibians with disabilities, the community is forging ahead to ensure the society they are part of allows them to access and enjoy opportunities, amenities, and activities available to all Namibians.

These efforts are currently discussed at a three-day strategic planning workshop, hosted jointly by the Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disabilities (NOYD) and the National Youth Council of Namibia (NYC) at Swakopmund.

The session, which started on Monday, brings together stakeholders to discuss and develop a strategic plan to address issues facing young people with disabilities.

NOYD executive committee chairman Orben Muluti on Monday said resolutions taken at its elective congress in 2019 involved the adoption of five focal areas pertaining to Namibian young people with disabilities.

The areas include education, employment, accessibility, representation and health, and will be discussed at the workshop.

Deputy minister of disability affairs Alexia Manombe-Ncube at the opening of the workshop said while young people with disabilities are poorly represented on matters related to youth development, they took action by establishing the NOYD in 2011.

The NOYD represents all Namibians between 16 and 35 with disabilities.

The organisation’s mission is to advocate equal opportunities for young people with disabilities in education, training and employment, as well as to better represent young people with disabilities in different sectors.

Thanks to their efforts, the NYC has enacted provisions for the inclusion of youths with disabilities, and makes provision for the representation of young people with disabilities on its board of directors.

Muluti said the NOYD has faced serious financial challenges since its establishment, which has resulted in the developing of a strategic plan being delayed.

The implementation of this was further delayed by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Despite these challenges, our leadership continues to execute its duties as outlined in its constitution. We have advocated education, and managed to get youths with disabilities enrolled into institutions to either improve or further their education.

“We have advocated and managed to get youth with disabilities into permanent or temporary employment. We sourced donations of food items and clothes for many of our members who struggle to provide in their day-to-day essential needs on their own.

“All this important work was done by volunteers who work passionately, and are doing so on their own time and with their own money. A lot of awareness raising was also done on different media platforms.

“The efforts though are still too little. We believe more can and will be done with the support of different stakeholders,” he said.

Manombe-Ncube lauded the NOYD for transforming into a “powerful organisation that is prepared to make a great impact on our country once it is fully operational”.

“I strongly hope this strategy will be able to achieve concrete solutions and positive experiences to contribute to more effective national capacity development,” she said.

With a strategic plan, the NOYD hopes to be better equipped to engage with more partners.

“We are here to represent not only the voices of our respective organisations, institutions and agencies, but to represent the voices of all young people with disabilities in Namibia – regardless of race, ethnicity, political affiliation, religious views, gender or sexual orientation. After all, we all strive towards a common goal, which is the realisation of a nation inclusive in all aspects for every Namibian,” Muluti said.

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