THE ABLE-BODIED community is being asked to interact with the disabled and help them by lending their services.
National Disabilities Unit (NDU) president Colbert Ashby said one of the greatest challenges they continued to face was educating the able-bodied people to interact with the disabled.
“We are asking them to help us in any way they can – for that, we will be very glad. We have challenges and sometimes when we are left aside it makes our challenge even greater so we have to fight doubly strong in order to keep ourselves among the able-bodied,” Ashby said.
He was speaking yesterday at the fair to raise money to purchase a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for the NDU. Ashby called for the public to lend a hand by transporting the disabled where possible.
Over $100 000 was required for the bus and with the economic crunch it was difficult to raise the funds, he said, and the Barbados Council for the Disabled was only able to do so much.
He said the vehicle was very necessary and the unit should have had one years ago because one of the main challenges was getting members to and from meetings, functions they had to attend or any transport they needed in general, he explained.
The fair was held on the grounds of the National Union of Public Workers’ Dalkeith Road, St Michael headquarters where children enjoyed games, a lucky dip, face-painting, jumping tents, slides, food and snacks. (LK)
