English translation by community member Pyrias
The Discrimination of Handicapped Women
Handicapped women are really discriminated against. For example, by their families and their communities. I see this in our association, because we have some handicapped women, and when they try to talk about their life, it hurts us and we cry. Often, they show that they are discriminated against because they’re missing a limb on their body. They say that they don’t have financial means, and they don’t have ways to make money that fit them, like sewing machines, tools for hand-knitting, or ways to do business that generate income.
What’s more, they show that they are discriminated against because they aren’t worth anything in their families. Rather, they are dependent on their families. That’s why they are discriminated against. We find that the discrimination that they experience comes from their dependence and their lack of fitting occupations, and if they could find something that worked for them to do, their lives would be much better.
Handicapped women are looking for help to have a fitting occupation, to leave discrimination behind them, and to one day be independent. They want to be self-sufficient so they can return to social and family life, and so they can have lasting autonomy and a plan of action for their life.
We are showing you that handicapped people suffer, and suffer a lot. They are even traumatized to the point of needing psycho-social assistants and psychologists, or requiring economic help to be a part of the economy and society.
The members of OSODI plead for the handicapped women of Kabare, but we don’t have the means to support them because of the increase in the need for activities that generate income.