International Day of Persons with Disabilities : overcoming disabilities with their abilities

Celebrated on 3rd December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities aims at promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development. We bring to you the story of two young professionals, Kerishma Chareetur and Vibhesh Santoo, who have excelled in their life despite impediments.

Kerishma Chareetur : “Mauritius has made tremendous improvement in treating disabled persons”

Kerishma Chareetur, 27, has been suffering from Cerebral Palsy since birth. But this did not stop her from becoming a Chartered Certified Accountant. She obtained her ACCA affiliation in April 2017 and now works for a Big 4 audit firm. She is wheelchair ridden.

“CP is a condition which leaves my intellect unaffected but certainly limits body movements. Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms can vary among people. Often, symptoms include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. Cerebral Palsy is caused by abnormal damage to the parts of the brain that control movement, balance and posture.”

Kerishma has a disabled friendly vehicle equipped with a ramp and her dad drives her to work during week days. “After office hours, I go to shopping malls to buy daily necessities and I do not miss happy hour on Fridays. Weekends are kept for surfing the net, go out family or conduct research about how to improve my life.”

The life of a disabled

Kerishma states that Mauritius has made tremendous improvement in this field during the last decade but persons with disabilities still face loads of difficulties in terms of inaccessibility, unacceptance, or depraved mentality towards them, among many others. But she says there is still room for improvement. “I live in Curepipe and I still find it problematic to access shopping centres over here.

They are just too small for my wheelchair or at times, they are not equipped with a ramp. The same applies Port Louis.” She has never been able to access any shopping area in Port Louis simply because they were designed in an archaic way and impossible to accommodate a wheelchair user. “Mauritian laws should be more stringent on parking facilities for persons with disabilities. On several occasions, I have noticed that parking spaces allotted to disabled were occupied by cars belonging to persons who are not disabled.”

The challenges faced

The young auditor underlines that many persons with disabilities still experience great difficulties to find a job despite being qualified. “Some employers outright reject them not only because they are different but they also speculate whether a disabled person would be able to shoulder responsibilities accurately. The Disability Act is definitely a plus here where an employer needs to hire at least 3% of his workforce comprising people with disabilities.”

Moreover, she underscores that the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board can work together with employers to figure out how to accommodate a person with special needs. “I do agree with employers on the fact that they are unsure about whether the disabled employee would be able to deliver but if we all come together and try to find out what that person can do best, I don’t see any reason why employers should not recruit them. According to a UK Survey performed on people with special needs, these people are more disciplined and focused at work.”

Message to her fellow contemporaries

She advises her friends with disabilities to do their level best. “Life is full of obstacles and is definitely even harder for persons with disabilities, but if you have a mission, no one can stop you towards the achievement of that particular goal. So-called ‘normal’ people will never encourage you simply because they consider you as being disadvantaged compared to them. However, you should never ever let this affect you.”

She narrates that when she started her ACCA, few people believed that she would succeed but with persistent efforts, she ultimately reached her goal. “Remember, you are different, no doubt, but you may be blessed with a potential which no other person possesses. It’s only you who can bring out your innate ‘genius’. Do something that will astound people and modify this down-trodden mentality towards the disabled for the better! Your future lies in your hands. You can improve the status of disabled in our society if you have the right mindset.”

Vibhesh Santoo : Excelling in multimedia skills

Vibhesh Santoo, 29, resides at Vacoas and attends the Forest Side State College. Vibhesh suffers from Cerebral Palsy, too. Very keen about outdoor activities, he usually organises events such as hiking. He has created his own group, BGS HIKERS, comprising of more than 50 members.

He adores playing music. “Mainly the piano, djembe, and the ravanne. I also love deejaying. I am passionate about graphic design, video editing and making. I usually design logos, brochures, leaflets and so on. I like to ride bicycles, and I really want to become a cyclist. A four-wheeled bicycle has been fabricated for me in Mauritius.”

Additionally, Vibhesh has developed skills in Social Media Management and Events Coordination. “I like to participate in competitions and attend different types of workshops. Last year, I participated in ICAC competition, that is Anti-Corruption Short Film Competition and Anti-Corruption Slogan Competition.  Recently, I had the opportunity to learn everything about Python programming language in the Code4Fun Workshop organised by YouCode Ltd in collaboration with FoICDT University of Mauritius.”

Vibhesh is very fascinated by Audiovisual Production, Lighting and Sound Technology, Photography, Cinematography, Comedy, Art, Music and Communication, Web Design and Computer maintenance and repair. 

The young man argues that the major obstacle for disabled people is lack of infrastructure. “There are certain facilities provided by the government, such as a meager monthly pension, but disabled persons are not well informed. More educational facilities should be made available to those unable to attend regular schools.” He encourages his friends in the same situation like him never to give up.