Tema-Ghana, March 7, GNA – Miss Nafisatu Mardi, a physically challenged tailor has said that disabled women have the potential to contribute meaningfully to the development of society, and therefore should be recognized for their efforts.
Miss Mardi who has been physically challenged in both legs since age three and has been living with her disability for the past 38 years said society must not only reward and recognize the works of those in higher places, as people like her also contributed to society.
Being in two pairs of clippers and using two clutches, Miss Mardi did not sentence herself to a state of self-pity but rather successfully went through the required apprenticeship and is now a unisex tailor who has also trained others in the trade.
She said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema towards the celebration of International Women’s Day which is celebrated globally annually on March 08, with this year’s theme being “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”
The day is aimed at celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, as well as focusing greater attention on women’s right.
She said when such disabled women were recognized and projected, it would serve as a motivation for others to venture into economical and other legally acceptable profit ventures instead of begging on the streets.
Miss Mardi said because of the lack of motivation, and recognition for disabled women in general, most of them felt left out, and less important to society, adding that it also did not encourage parents of disabled girls to give them the needed education and push to reach their full potential.
She indicated that because a few of them were not empowered economically, and not seen to have high social standing, men took advantage of them whenever they entered a relationship.
According to her, most men that approached them for relationships were more interested in pleasure rather than making them their wives and introducing them to their families and friends, as they were shy to be associated with disabled partners.
She, therefore, encouraged women with disability to empower themselves to be able to fend for themselves while being vigilant to avoid being taking for granted.
She said it was embarrassing to see her fellow disabled persons begging to survive as according to her, because of such acts people associate begging with disabilities “sometimes when you are even approaching someone for directions, they give you attitude because they think you are coming to beg for money”.
