FRANCISTOWN: People living with disabilities are angered by what they say is lack of proper care by the Botswana government.They said this at the on-going week-long information and education exposition held at Francistown Centre for the Deaf Education on Tuesday.When sharing his experiences in sign language, hearing impaired Poloko Qobose who is a lecturer at Marobela Brigade said they are faced with many challenges and he pleaded with the government to recognise them as a people too.He said when the government delivers services to citizens, they should know that there are people living with different disabilities. "I went to school in South Africa and then I came back home, before proceeding for further studies in the United States of America (USA) doing sports. "When I returned home, I struggled to find a job for years. I volunteered at the University of Botswana (UB) under the Department of Disability Support Services," he said.
Qobose said he is happy that the Botswana Society for the Deaf organised an exposition for people living with disabilities to interact with able-bodied people who can then learn how to communicate with the disabled as well as to appreciate their needs and aspirations.He said the truth is that they are faced with so many challenges, including shortage of interpreters, qualified teachers and a skilled workforce of people with disabilities. "We need to be skilled as people living with disabilities so that we can take part in developing our country. There is too much shortage of well-trained teachers with special education in Botswana and it is a challenge to us."How are we expected to grow without education?" he asked. Suave and professionally articulate, Qobose said disabled people should be offered services like other Batswana with sign language interpreters available in government offices.
