ABILITY IN DISABILITY

PWDs go up Kgale Hill

The lack of participation by people with disabilities (PWDs) in different spheres of life including sport and recreation is one of the main reasons why the founder of Abilities, Lesly Baleseng set up the Abilities hike.

Abilities is a diversity inclusion project that uses media to fill the disability information gap in Botswana and change perceptions about disabilities that are usually fuelled by ignorance and cultural practices. Baleseng observed that a lot of persons with disabilities have keen interest in going up Kgale Hill, for example, but they never thought that it was something achievable.

The second annual Abilities hike will take place on the 26th of November at Kgale Hill. It will feature people with different forms of disabilities such as those in wheelchairs, multiple disabilities and the blind, among others.

So far, more than 75 people of different abilities including those identifying as non-disabled have already confirmed their participation.

“People with disabilities like everyone are entitled to healthy lifestyles and opportunities to acquire that,” Baleseng said.

He added that even though this is what is ideally sought after, very few people with disabilities get to experience healthy lives.

Baleseng said that the other objective of the hike is to extend the benefits of summiting and hiking which go beyond the physical to the disability community. A lot of people with disabilities are excluded from work, education, recreation and sport because of inaccessible structures and negative attitudes resulting in the sedentary life experienced by PWDs of all ages.

According to Baleseng, the hike is free and open to everyone.

This is because a lot of persons with disabilities in Botswana do not have access to financial resources and mobility. “So asking for money from a segregated group and everyone else may defeat the purpose of trying to cultivate an active lifestyle among people with disabilities.”

Baleseng said they welcome any form of help and support citing that the hike needs cash, refreshments, shade (tent), sound system, photography and videography, medical coverage, merchandise for it to be a resounding success.