DISABILITY: NOT A DISADVANTAGE!
Hello fellow steemians, hope you're doing good today! This post is to run a campaign to stop discrimination against people with disabilities as recently encountered by one of my friend.
THE STORY OF MY FRIEND, Ryta Kribason. A sad Ordeal!
Some days ago, I wrote about the story of Farida Bedwei from Ghana who has Cerebral Palsy characterized by great difficulty in movement and impaired speech, yet she's a global icon to reckon with. Today, I want to talk about another friend I just met 3 weeks ago in Ghana, Ryta Kribason from Ghana.
Ryta is a young lady with physical disability. She can't move from one place to another without a walking aid so she uses crutches to support herself. She's an emerging young leader from Africa, very sound woman, beautiful, intelligent, friendly and a social worker who's supporting and helping other people with disabilities live normal life hence she was selected to participate in the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), Cohort 10, Accra, Ghana funded by the U.S government and other partners. She didn't fold her hands doing nothing because of her condition. No! She chose to make something significant and worthwhile out of life.
However, after the recently concluded training program on Friday, she was to take a flight with Africa World Airlines (AWA) from Accra to Kumasi to attend an important meeting at 10:00am but she was denied flying by the airline. Why? Because she's using crutches, and crutches are not allowed in the plane. As a result of this, Ryta missed her meeting yesterday because she wasn't allow to fly, meanwhile her ticket has been reserved a long time ago. WHY SHOULD THIS BE? Why do we still have a world that discriminates people with disabilities?
People with physical disabilities are normal human beings. They have equal human rights and are like everyone of us. LET'S STOP DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THEM. Show maximum support to them and give them an enabling environment to fulfill their highest potentials and dreams.
Show support to Ryta today and every other person with disability by leaving a comment here for her and resteeming this post. She's still in Accra now because of the ordeal yesterday.
SAY NO TO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES!
Excellent article @ evarich, if indeed the world is full of selfish people "hide behind regulations", they should sue the airlines and courts and win the dispute. An affectionate hug
@felixgarciap, thank you dear friend. It was a sad situation. I'm glad serious campaign has been raised for my friend.
Hugs too!
Everybody on the planet are wonderfully and beautifully made.....Did they caused the ordeal that leads to their present condition?
For crying out loud....they are normal human like us whom needed to be loved and cared of....is time for this discrimination to cease among the physically challenged...
Thanks @evarich for sharing with us ...Am just unhappy reading this
@joagawu, that's the nonsense we find still happening on the African continent. If you see how the Western world treat their disabled people with respect ehn, you'll be amazed.
Hmmm, a serious campaign has been started for my friend already. That airline is gonna see something.
Thank you my dear.
@evarich great article with a story that touch. I think that airline should be sued for such discrimination. So unfair !!!
@ibile, yes it was really a sad situation. A campaign has been raised for my friend, and I'm sure she'll win.
Thank you.
Such a profound post @ evarich. These ladies are amazing. I am completely and utterly dumbfounded, umm no SICK that any airline would not allow her to board a plane due having /using crutches. I had never heard of an airline doing that, but I don't doubt it one bit.
I have an aunt with polio and she uses crutches for walking assistance (the only difference between her and your friend was my aunt's had the cup that went around her upper arm) I had watched people say she was faking her disability, I had seen people try to take her crutches from her it was a devastating thing to see when you're about 7 years old. NO ONE deserves that kind of treatment. Hope someone took issue with the airline that did this? It is completely unacceptable.
@habeebebility featured you in the "Pay it Forward " contest .
nice @evarich . keep speaking out . It is something we all need to do .
Very nice write up. People need to know what African World Airlines (AWA) did to her. People need to go and protest, write letters, and boycott them until they change their policy. If they are so concerned about the crutches they could have after she was boarded and seated, put her crutches in the cargo hold. I found you story though @habeebability featuring this post in his "Pay it Forward" contest entry blog.
It's difficult to believe, that in 2018, crutches wouldn't be allowed on a plane!! Unbelievably unfair! and I'm sorry that happened to your friend. I agree, a disability is a physical thing only and has nothing to do with the type of person you are.
I found your post through @habeebability's entry to the Pay it Forward Contest. You should join us too :)