Signature tune
Presenter:
Good day and welcome
to your program Youth Watch that is coming from
the Voice of Youth radio program and the station
you are listening to.
Signature tune
Presenter:
In today’s program
the disabled in Sierra Leone organized a rally
on December 1, 2005. What was the reason, we
find out. All this and more including music.
Don’t touch the dial, just sit near your
radio for the next couple of minutes with me
your presenter Christiana Lappia.
Signature tune
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): The disabled
in Sierra Leone have been grumbling about how
the government and people of this country have
been treating them as if they are not important
in the society. These disgruntled disabled organized
a rally on Thursday, December 1st of this year.
This rally started at Victoria Park to the Parliament.
What is the reason for this rally? Our VoY reporter
Salifu Koroma talks to the Secretary General
of the Sierra Leone Union of Polio Persons,
Julius Nay Koffie.
Julius Nay Koffie:
For a long time now they have been treating
us the disabled like sub-human peoples. Despite
our effort, no one is hearing our cry as we
have discrimination in employments, education,
health, etc. That is why we organized this rally
so that the Government, international committees,
international NGOs and local NGOs, for them
to hear what we are saying. Maybe with united
voice, they will hear us.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): Where
will this rally take place?
Mr. Koffie:
The procession will
start at Victoria Park and process through the
city. On Siaka Stevens Street we will pass by
C. I. D. [Criminal Investigation Department],
use State Avenue to Parliament. Where we are
going is to present a paper to the Honorable
Speaker of Parliament.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): We will
mark in December International Disabled day.
What have put in place to celebrate this day?
Mr. Koffie: December
3rd would be the International Disabled Day
but actually we don’t have any set program
of events on that day. We know that December
3rd is the day the Government will give charity
to the disabled, but that doesn’t matter
to us. We want people that are disabled that
are qualified for job to have job. That is why
we choose December 3rd for our rally.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): That was
the Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Union
of Polio Persons, Julius Nay Koffie. The rally
involved disabled people from different parts
of the country. Ramata Fofanah talks to the
Public Relations Officer of Disabled People’s
Lungi Branch Phillip John Sheriff.
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Ramata: What
is the reason of this rally?
Philip:
We organize this rally
because we have to present a paper to the government
for us to have some rights. Rights to employments,
right to education, health, medical facilities
etc. But up to this time Parliament has not
yet addressed this problem.
Ramata:
Where do you do this
rally?
Philip:
We started the rally
at Victoria Park and end it to Parliament where
we present the paper.
Ramata: Why
do you agree to hold this rally today?
Philip: We
have put a date aside and the date that we have
put aside is a memorial date. This one is something
that we have decided upon. The first was on
the twenty ninth but unfortunately Parliament
do not have session on that day and we want
the day that all Parliamentarians are present.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): Phillip
John Sheriff P.R.O for the disabled People’s
Lungi Branch. During this rally disabled people
presented a paper to Parliament. What was inside
this paper? I spoke to the President of the
Union of Polio Persons, Kabbah Franklin Bangura.
I first asked him what is in the paper that
they presented to Parliament.
Kabbah Franklin
Bangura: It is
talking about the welfare of people with disability,
which Sierra Leone is a partner since 1993 but
until now it has not been rectified. Many things
protect the right of the disable them. Even
I have my friend who is a BSC Honor in Accounting
at IPAM. He was discriminated at the University
of Sierra Leone because he is a disabled. He
was the best candidate at the interview. He
was dropped because they say they don’t
have a car to carry him to Furah Bay College.
They are discriminating the disables even when
they are qualified.
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Christiana Lappia
(VoY): What will
be your message to the Government and other
people?
Mr. Bangura:
Firstly I want the Government
to take the paper serious and try to enhance
it for the disabled in Sierra Leone. Secondly
I want them also to know that the discrimination
has started from the homes. Many of the disabled
at the street has been rejected from their home.
Their families have rejected them. Parents do
not even care for them for instance to pay for
them school fees because they feels it’s
of no use. I want everybody to know that disabled
are not hard to deal with, they only need sometimes
counseling.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): That was
the President of Sierra Leone Union of Polio
Persons, Kabbah Franklin Bangura. Don’t
forget that you are listening to Youth Watch
that is coming from the Voice of Youth radio
program and the station you are listening to.
Inside today’s program we have spoken
to the Secretary General for the Sierra Leone
Union of Polio Persons, the president and the
public relations officer of Disabled People
Lungi Branch. More to come in the program, the
interview with Melrose Hawa Kamara who is taking
care of the disabled children at one orphanage
home at Grafton, and views of different disable
people that took part in the rally. Before that,
relax and shake your body to this music Better
Days from the sound of Joe.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): That was
Better Days the, sound of Joe. I hope you have
shake to the music. As we are aware, disabled
children are not properly taken care of by their
parents. Some are left out on the street to
beg and some are thrown away in the bush. For
that reason Melrose Hawa Kamara has opened an
orphanage home in Grafton to take care of disabled
children. Salifu Koroma talks to her.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): How many
children do you have in your Disable Center?
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Melrose Hawa Kamara:
I have up to eighteen
of them and found all of them on the streets
where they are sleeping and begging.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): Are they
going to school?
Ms. Kamara:
All of them are going
to different schools. Some are going to primary
schools, secondary schools, and some are in
other institutions.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): Where
are you getting your funds?
Ms. Kamara:
Well it’s from
some churches and other people.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What message
do you have for other NGOs?
I am pleading to them for assistance for the
disables. We need help to run this orphanage
home.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): That was
Salifu Koroma with Melrose Hawa Kamara who is
taking care of the disabled children at Grafton.
Also Salifu Koroma spoke to some disabled youths.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What is
your name?
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Eku: Eku
Dayor Scotland, Director of Disabled Center
Kenema.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What importance
does this rally have to you?
Eku: This
rally will lead to our dream to come true because
they have been marginalizing us. This will create
an impact to talk to many stakeholders so that
they will hear our cry.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What will
be your message to colleague disabled who are
counting on themselves?
Eku: I
want them to know that disabled are physically
challenge people. They are victims of circumstances.
Nobody is exempted to disability, one way or
the other everybody is a disabled. I want them
to know that disability is not inability, and
there is ability in disability. Let them stop
the discrimination.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What is
your name?
Sulaiman: My
name is Sulaiman Sixty Kamara, Secretary General
Makeni Branch.
Salifu Koroma
(VoY): What importance
does this rally have to you?
Sulaiman: It’s
a historical event to us the disabled as we
have made a landmark as we have presented the
paper to Parliament. We want them to know that
we can help in the development of our country.
Christiana Lappia
(VoY): That was
Salifu Koroma speaking to some disabled that
took part in the rally. Don’t forget you
were listening to Youth Watch from the Voice
of Youth radio program and the station you are
listening to. That is what we have for you in
this edition. If you have anything to add to
this program, meet us at our at office 41 Main
Motor Road Congo Cross, or call us at number
234030.On behalf of my producer Alarini Bah
and technician Mohamed Sesay and my colleagues
from the Voice of Youth, I have been your presenter,
Christiana Lappia Good bye.
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