Our Visually Impaired citizens' plights must be highlighted now!

It Seems like CHANGE has happened but for the WORSE

Asata Dukuly is an aspiring journalist practicing with the Public Agenda Newspaper. She is passionate about women, youths and girls issues. She can be contacted on #s: 0770347449 and 0881044035. Email: adukuly.ad@gmail.com

One of the most challenged groups of people whose issues are yet to be discussed in these political rigmaroles is our unsighted brothers and sisters.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Liberia has about 35,000 people living with different forms of blindness, almost the voting population size of one whole county in Liberia. Many of them live in deplorable, disparaging and some of the worst human conditions the world have ever seen.

Regrettably, they are abandoned by family members, even society rejects them, leaving them at the mercy of street corners and the scarce benevolence of passers-by to feed themselves and their families.

In their world, getting a square meal is an achievement, sleeping in a bed is by God's mercy.

These people are seen moving among vehicles in life-threatening traffic positions. vulnerable to attacks and yet contributes to all sectors of nation-building, interestingly very little or no attention is given to them by national government. What is even more saddening is that they use their kids who should be in school as compass to navigate their way in the crowded Liberian urban municipalities.

This is a common scene in Liberia's urban manucipalities

The future of these kids are as opaque as the sight of their parents because of course they have to drop from school because begging is their only means of survival, these children are seen with their blind parents during school hours in order to survive.

Now that we are in the political season, it is important for those that are aspiring for elected positions to make sincere commitments as to how they intend handling this issue. I stand to be corrected, but none of the twenty (20) candidates vying for the presidency or even those contesting for the various legislative seats have laid out a very serious policy diagram as to how they will get our visually impaired brothers and sisters off the streets.

We must not allow politicians to tell us what they want us to hear but rather, we must tell them what we want and this is one of the crucial areas that must be highlighted.

This is the time for us to quiz them on what plans they have to put in place so that our brothers and sisters that are physically challenged can be empowered.

If these brothers and sisters are empowered, be it academically or financially, they will be able to support and sustain themselves. They won't have to depend on others pocket for survival. A lot of them have talents, all that is needed is the necessary support but because of their physical conditions, those who now claimed to love them think they are incapable.

Let us remember that regardless of their physical conditions, we are all Liberians, and are entitled to equal opportunities and equal access to protection under the law.

Their rights to education, decent livelihood and empowerment must be prioritized above the interest of individual

politician interest.

I want to advance this challenge to all our political actors.

Hear them out, and include them in your plan.

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