By: Nyima Sillah
Yankuba Amadou Faal Sonko, Director of Organization for Social Development and Inclusion for Person with Disability (OSDIVI), has called on government of The Gambia to make housing affordable for person with disabilities.
He made this remark on Monday during the GPA’s presentation to the OSDIVI office, Kanifing.
“Government should make housing affordable for persons with disabilities so that they can have a place to stay or sleep. It is very difficult for people with disabilities to have a place to call their own property. Some of our people never experience a good sleeping place because of renting problem,” Sonko added.
Mr Sonko also highlighted some of the various challenges that the organization is recently facing, among is access to easy transportation after school hours.
“It is very difficult for our people to transport themselves here and even after classes for them to take themselves home, some of them will be here till around 7-8pm before they can have a vehicle to go home,” he disclosed.
Also, another challenge that they are facing is sponsorship they need to go to the university, too, and they as well need some educational equipment like computers among others to help them facilitate their works.
“Some find it difficult to pay for their children’s school fees and also when they are sick, they face another challenge to take them to the hospital because they are not financially ok, he added.
Meanwhile, with the recent donated sewing machines from GPA, they need sewing equipment to be able to use them, he disclosed.
However, the organization is all about empowering persons with disabilities and it was established in 2011. Sometimes the organisation shares relief aids that they normally raised from donors during the month of Ramadan or feasts like Tobaski. Also, they gave support to their members when they are in need.