Emmanuel Ugwu
13 January 2009
Umuahia — Succour came the way of four physically challenged pupils of Marist Academy Uturu Abia State recently, as a community-based non governmental organisation, Isuikwuato Earnestly Asks for Development (IEAD) presented them with wheel chairs to enable them go to school and move around without assistance.
The beneficiaries, who are inmates of the Hopeville Rehabilitation Centre, Uturu include Chinedu Chibo, who is in Primary Four, Kenneth Amadi, Primary Six and two girls Nkiru Ndubuisi and Ogechi Udensi both in JS 2; were given the mobility aids valued at over N400, 000 at a ceremony in Isuikwuato.
They have already set their hopes on variously becoming professionals in law, medicine and accountancy.
In his remarks before handing over the wheel chairs, the patron of IEAD and Police Commissioner of Kwara State, Donald Onyinye Iroham, said that the NGO deemed it fit to assist the pupils as a little way of empowering them to realise their dreams.
He said that those who are physically fit should appreciate the pains that the physically challenged experience on a daily basis in order to live normal lives, adding that such feelings should spur people to support them.
"A little thing you can do will go a long way to change a lot of things," he said, adding that IEAD would continue to identify with the less privileged and urged all well meaning persons to consider the plight of the handicapped ones in our society.
He advised the physically challenged not to indulge in self pity, but should develop self confidence and strive hard to attain their set goals in life.
Hopeville Rehabilitation Centre has no fewer than 60 inmates, out of which only four can move, not without a lot of difficulty, while the rest need total assistance.
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kudos to those that have demonstrated a large heart in regarding and assisting the less-previledge people amongst us;by fate,cos if they had their way;they 'll chose it better.well,my comment n concern is on ,how properly fixed up for jobs or recruitment after school,will it be for these group of peoplel;in this our unfavourable or competitive labour market.some are by God's assistance n loving parents were able to make it thru to and out of the tertiary institution and yet find it difficult to get employment that could make them leave up to expectation in the society n eventualy not make them liabilities or a kind of nuisance ;they never want to be.
pls do kingly look in to this aspect; a way forward for the less priviledge or physically challenged ones;i do have passion for this people and their God-given conditions.