Games and sports on International Disability Day
George Municipality's Gender and Disability section celebrated International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Waboomskraal with games and sports for the community.
According to Ejustley Boshoff-Landers, coordinator of the section, the day is celebrated in the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children because so many persons with disabilities are being abused. "They are mostly abused by their own family members, financially, emotionally or physically or by the community by not being accepted."
Sean Snyman, Portfolio Councillor for Community Development, who is living with a disability himself, told the crowd, "We can do a lot of things, we only do it differently".
He said he thanks God daily for the disability of his right arm as it made him a better person. "I compete against the mirror and I taught myself to take photos and will be doing deep sea diving soon. There is no shame in asking help. We need to be heard and we should not tolerate being marginalised," he said.
Persons with disabilities from Waboomskraal, Haarlem, Uniondale, Avontuur, Herold, George and other farming areas attended the day at the Waboomskraal Thusong Centre. The Department of Health offered various health tests like blood pressure and diabetes.