Foundation reaches out to more PWDs

Caption: Young Aba Koboul

Caption: Mr Kapi and Dickson Kande (in blue shirt) on his new wheel chair

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, October 23, 2013 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

BROWN Kapi Foundation in partnership with PNG Rehabilitation Centre continued its community outreach programs when they paid a surprise visit to two PWDs (People With Disabilities) living in Eight Mile settlement, on the outskirts of Port Moresby yesterday- presenting them with two new wheelchairs.

The recipients Dickson Kande and Aba Koboul from Southern Highlands, when presented the donations by Foundation Chairman Brown Kapi at their homes were very thankful and excited with the assistive devices.

Dickson aged 27 was born with no hands and legs, and has been hiding away in the settlement in fear of discrimination and stigma ever since he came to live in the city five years ago., whereas Aba age 4, who had both legs and hands paralysed, is a child from a broken marriage, adopted into a new family.

Life has been extremely challenging for the relatives and guardians of the two individuals without proper assistive devices.

With access to the devices, Dickson said they were very happy and called on the government to seriously support programs such as the foundation’s, because they were result orientated and reached all the way to their home to provide support.

Brown Kapi, said that the community outreach programs started early this year and has continued to reach out to those people with disability living in settlements and villages in Central Province, who cannot come out from their homes because they are scared of exposing their disability to the public.

“We have tried engaging other programs in the past such as food feeding and clothing programs to draw them out of their homes and come to the facility but they could not come because they are either scared or do not have the assistive devices to move around.”

“Therefore, in this community outreach programs I am going out to where they live instead of them coming to me.”

“My team is committed to empowering the disable people but we are only here to assist facilitate that change.”

He added that the onus was on the disable persons themselves who must take responsibility in their own change and come out and say they can do it.

“Without that self-motivation from individual disable persons, disability will always be a development concept for PNG and we will not achieve any change,” Mr Kapi said.   

The foundation is set to donate wheelchairs to all wards at the Port Moresby General Hospital today.