Experts advocate community system support for children living with disabilities

On Apr 3, 2024

Some experts have called on government and individuals to build a community support system for children with varying disabilities and the vulnerable in the society. The experts spoke separately at the 12th edition of the annual charity lecture and appreciation colloquium of Encouragement Initiative (EI), an NGO, on Wednesday in Ijebu-Ode.

The Guest Speaker, Mrs Yemi Ogunfeitimi, while delivering her lecture, urged people and government to build a community support system for the class of people to make life better for them. The topic of the lecture was: “Silent Struggles: Challenges and coping strategies for parents of children with mental health and disability.”

According to Ogunfeitimi, who is the Chairperson of Autism Pacente, Texas, United States of America (USA), the challenges of mental health or disabilities differ. She said that it could be stressful while also affecting family dynamics, emotional, financial and social systems. The guest speaker listed other challenges to include: stigmatisation and social perception, behavioural and other hindrances associated with self-care of the affected persons.

“We must strive to advocate for the rights of every children regardless of their abilities. Parents of challenged children should, as a matter of importance, seek professional help whenever they are overwhelmed or depressed; they should shun self-pity and desist from locking up the children at home. Parents should also encourage self-care, among others, to mitigate the numerous challenges associated with it,” she said.

Ogunfeitimi called for more enlightenment and advocacy about mental health and disability, just as she appealed to the community to provide a support system for the parents.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, noted that giving succor to children with mental health and disability should be seen as a collective responsibility. Hamzat said that the theme of the programme was apt due to multiple challenges faced by parents of children-victims, especially with the economic situation of the country.

He commended the champions of the programme, urging people to take a cue from EI, for the good of the society and the general wellbeing of the people, especially the underprivileged and the vulnerable in the society.

In his remarks, the EI Convener and Founder, Dr Rotimiolu Akinlesi, said that the organisation’s objective was to touch lives, especially the less-privileged children in the society.

He stressed that stigmatisation of the challenged children and their parents should be addressed. Akinlesi advised parents of mental health and disabled children to seek happiness while supporting their children, even as he urged kind-hearted Nigerians to touch the lives of others.

NAN/Wumi