Tuwawezeshe watu wenye ulemavu wafanikiwe

Upo msemo mzuri wa kiswahili kuwa "ukitaka kuona mbali ni sharti usimame kwenye mabega ya mtu mrefu". 

Siku zote watu wenye ulemavu wamekabiliwa na changamoto kemkem ambazo ziko ndani ya uwezo wetu. Watoto wengi wenye ulemavu wanakosa haki ya elimu kwa kuwa tu ni walemavu. Mfano; wapo watoto wasioona (blind), viziwi (deaf), na viziwi-vipofu (deaf-blind); hawa ni wengi katika jamii lakini wanashindwa kuifikia elimu kwa kigezo kuwa hakuna wataalam wa kuwafundisha.

Bado kuna kundi lingine la watu wenye ulemavu wa miguu, watu waliotakiwa wapewe magari ya matairi matatu (wheel chairs), lakini bado wengi wao hawana. Kundi hili linakabiliwa na miundo mbinu ya majengo ambayo si rafiki kwao. 

Je, tumekosa watu warefu wa kuwawezesha watu hawa wenye ulemavu kuona mbali kimaisha? Tumeshindwa kuwawezesha wajitegemee? Je, nasi tusingewezeshwa kuona mbali tungekuwa tunafuraha ya kuishi leo?

Serikali itimize wajibu wake, na vikundi ya kijamii, na watu binafsi tuwekeze katika kuwasaidia watu wenye ulemavu ili nao wafanikiwe maisha yao, na pia wawe watu wenye mchango mkubwa kwa jamii yetu.

Mtu asiyeona akitumia kompyuta

Mtu kiziwi-kipofu akielekezwa

Uundaji wa teknolojia jumuishi kwenye usafiri

Tufikiri juu ya hili!

CALL TO OUR LEADERS TO BE POSITIVE TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

Unfortunately, disability concepts are not well clear to most people including our leaders. Most people react towards it emotionally, they respond to it spontaneously. This condition denotes that people with disabilities are thought to be born accidentally. The reality is that, any person has the natural right for being born human being. With this reality, there is a need for our leaders to serve people with disabilities positively and in a well organized policies and acts.

Let's learn from the statement of former US president  George H.W. Bush:

“I congratulate President Obama for taking some time today to remember the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There is no place in our society for prejudice of any kind, yet it was not that long ago when Americans with disabilities were often not given equal rights and opportunities. Whether the cause was ignorance or indifference, it was not acceptable. We can all take pride in how much the ADA has accomplished, which is evident every time you attend a sporting event, ride the subway, or go to work. Yet, there is always more to be done, which is why it’s good not only to celebrate our successes, but to look forward at what still must be done. As long as we never forget that every life is a miracle and each person has something to contribute, we will finish the job.” 

Statement from Former President George H.W. Bush on the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act - July 24 2009. 

Let us think positively about people with disabilities!

Mauaji ya Albino; tumekuwa taifa la wajinga

Na Betty Kangonga

KUNA andiko katika Biblia Takatifu lisemalo kuwa; watu wangu wanaangamia kwa kukosa maarifa. Hivi ndivyo jamii yetu inavyoangamia.

Tunashindwa kufanyakazi na kujishughulisha ili kujikomboa kiuchumi lakini wapo baadhi ya wachache wetu katika jamii ambao wamebobea kuamini nguvu za giza zisizo na maana.

Hatua hiyo ndiyo inasababisha kundi hilo kuangaika usiku na mchana kuua ndugu zetu, wenzetu, jirani zetu watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi (Albino). Huko nyuma Serikali iliamua kuchukua hatua kuwasaidia ndugu zetu hawa ambao wamekuwa kama wakimbizi ndani ya taifa lao.

Wamekuwa wakiwindwa kama wanyama na kundi hilo ambalo limepofushwa macho na akili pia na kufikia kuua binadamu wenzao. Huko nyuma baada ya mauaji ya wenzetu hawa kushika kasi, serikali iliamua kusaidiana nao kwa kiasi na kujaribu kutoa ulinzi.

Nimeshindwa kuelewa ulinzi huo wa serikali uliishia wapi maana hadi sasa bado vilio, simanzi, huzuni zimetawala kwa ndugu zetu hawa. Hawana uhakika wa kuishi wamekuwa kama watu wasio na uhakika hasa inapofika usiku.

Maana wanajua watoa roho zao wanaweza kuwafikia wakati wowote. Hivi kundi la wauaji hawa wanashindwa kupembua akili zao na kupata utashi kuwa damu za ndugu zetu hao wanaowaua ni laana kwa taifa hili? Au wanafikiri kuwa watabaki wao salama?

Pamoja na kuwa tunaweza kujiondoa katika dhambi hiyo lakini bado kama taifa tutaadhibiwa tu, maana swali la kujiuliza tumefanya jambo gani kuhakikisha wenzetu hawa wanabaki salama? Je, tumeamua kuwa kimya ni kutokana na mauaji kupungua?

Mbona hadi sasa mauaji yanaendelea kila kukicha, huku serikali ikiwa kimya katika kupambana na tatizo hilo. Ni nani aliye nyuma na mauaji ya albino? Kama tutashindwa kutafuta njia ya kuwasaidia ndugu zetu hawa nina hakika taifa hili halitakuwa salama kamwe.

Tunahitajika kusimama kwa umoja wetu tunaouhubiri kila kukicha kudai haki za wenzetu hawa kuishi. Yupo wapi Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi? Yupo wapi Waziri wa Sheria na Katiba? Mbona wapo kimya kama vile hawaoni mauaji hayo.

Katika kusoma kwangu nakumbuka, mwaka 1977, Waziri Ali Hassan Mwinyi alilazimika kujiuzulu wadhifa wake wa Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani kutokana na kukiukwa kwa utawala wa sheria na haki za kibinadamu.

Matukio yaliyomlazimisha Mwinyi ajiuzulu yalitokea Kanda ya Ziwa na yalihusiana na imani za kishirikina pia. Baadaye Mwinyi akafanywa kuwa Balozi wetu Misri.

Mbona sasa Serikali ipo kimya au imeenda likizo? Mbona hawa mawaziri hawaoni uzito wa tatizo hilo? Au kwao sio tatizo, tatizo kwao ni vifo vya watu wengi zaidi kwa wakati mmoja ndiyo wainuke na kutoa matamko yasiyo na tija.

Kuna mkakati upi wa kufanya msako kuwabaini wauaji hao? Ama serikali inaona ni vigumu kuwabaini kama ilivyo katika masuala mengine? Mbona tumekuwa tukisikia kuna vitengo vya intelejensia kwani hivi vinaishia wapi?

Katika hili Serikali inapaswa kuja na maamuzi magumu na sio majibu mepesi kama yanayotolewa sasa, tena tunahitaji maamuzi mengine ya haraka yatakayoweza kuleta amani.

Kama itapuuzwa basi tukubali kuwa wapo wanaoweza kuchukua maamuzi magumu ambayo yanaweza kuleta kukiukwa kwa utawala wa sheria na haki za kibinadamu. Yatatuongezea machungu zaidi kuliko kuponyesha majeraha tuliyo nayo.

Ni lazima tufikiri kwa bidii. Tujiulize, ni nini kitatokea baada ya wimbi la mauaji ya albino? Kuangamia kwetu kwa kukosa maarifa ndiyo kulichangia kwa kundi lingine huko nyuma wakaibuka na kuwasaka kisha kuua watu wenye vipara.

Wakatokea wachuna ngozi pia. Naam. Tulifatute shina la tatizo, tushughulike nalo. Tukipuuzia hili la kufikiri kwa bidii kuna hatari ya kuiingiza nchi kwenye matatizo makubwa.

Wapo wasomaji watakaoona kuwa nalalamika lakini ni muhimu kulalamika sasa wakati kuna uwezekano wa kukabiliana na hilo, lakini tukisubiri tuje kulalamika wakati mambo yameharibika hakuna anayeweza kubaki salama.

Hivyo ni wakati muafaka kwa viongozi wa dini pia kutumia karama zao walizojaaliwa na Mwenyezi Mungu kuwafungua watu akili na mawazo yao, ili waelewe kuwa utajiri na heshima vinatoka kwa Mungu.

Hakuna aliyewahi kuua sio albino tu hata binadamu aliyekamilika akabaki salama, ni lazima tuondoke huko tulipo, sio busara hata kidogo waganga wa kienyeji kutudanganya na kutusababisha tuumizane na kuwindana kama wanyama.

Lakini, kwa sasa, iwapo wimbi hili la kuua albino litaendelea, na hao wauaji ninaowaita majuha wakabaini kuwa dawa ya albino inafaa kwa siasa pia, albino wetu watakwisha, na watakaowamaliza ni wanasiasa.

Ni wazi kuwa mauaji ya albino yanatia woga, ghadhabu, fedheha na kinyaa kwa taifa. Hawa ni binadamu ambao maisha yao yanakatishwa kwa vitendo vya kinyama vinavyotokana na imani zisizokuwa na msingi na ambazo hazitarajiwi kujitokeza katika jamii yenye watu wa kutosha wenye akili timamu.

Hakuna shaka kwamba, kutokana na vyanzo mbali mbali zimekuwa zikieleza kuwa, albino wanauawa kwa sababu wapo watu wanaoamini kwamba vipande vya viungo vyao vinaweza kufanyiwa mazingaombwe na vikawatajirisha wale wanaofanyiwa uganga huo, ni ujuha na uhayawani kuamini hayo.

Ndiyo maana nasema hivi tunaangamia kwa kukosa maarifa, kuna ujinga unatokana na ukosefu wa elimu, na nchi yetu imekuwa ikiwekeza katika ujinga kwa muda mrefu, kiasi kwamba, kama kungekuwa na kufuzu katika fani hii, si ajabu tungekuwa tumesha shiriki katika mahafali ya kuhitimu.

Maana haiwezekani kundi hili la wajinga wachache wakaendelea kushika hatamu ya kuua wenzetu hawa na kama taifa linaendelea kufumbia macho na kunyamaza kimya.

Pia uroho wa madaraka na kupata fedha za haraka nalo ni tatizo lingine linalofanya mauaji hayo kuzidi kushamiri. Si tunashuhudia watawala wetu wanavyotafuna uchumi wa nchi hii bila huruma.

Uroho umekuwa ni sehemu muhimu ya jinsi tunavyoendesha mambo yetu kiasi kwamba inakuwa vigumu kumtambua yeyote ndani ya siasa na utawala ambaye hajihusishi na uroho wa aina moja au nyingine.

Uroho na tamaa ya kutajirika haraka haraka.Huu ndiyo ninaouona unazidi kuchipuka kwa kuwa wanaamini kuwa kuua albino ndiyo mwanzo wa ujinga wa kushindwa kupambanua mambo.

Kuna haja ya vyombo vya usalama kuchukua hatua kali dhidi ya majuha hawa hatari. Lakini haitasaidia sana iwapo mbegu za ujinga tulizozipanda miongoni mwa watu wetu zimezaa matunda kama tunavyoona.

Njia ya kumaliza tatizo hili ni kung’oa magugu haya na kuyachoma, na kupanda mbegu mpya za elimu ambayo ni elimu, sio ujinga unaoendelea kupandikizwa na waganga waongo ambao ni wachumia tumbo.

La sivyo mauaji hayo yataendelea kutufanya na kutudhalilisha kuwa taifa la wajinga mbele ya mataifa mengine. Tunapaswa kuondoa ujinga huo haraka kabla haujaenea kwa kizazi kingine.

Chanzo: Tanzania Daima

Takwimu za mauaji ya albino zatisha

Na: Mkurugenzi wa Shirika la Under The Same Sun, Vicky Ntetema

Shirikisho la Vyama vya Watu wenye Ulemavu Tanzania (Shivyawata), limeitaka serikali kupitisha adhabu ya kunyongwa kwa wale wanaohusika na mauaji ya Albino.

Akizungumza katika maadhimisho ya Siku ya Amani Kimataifa ya Albino jana jijini Dar es Salaam, Rais wa Chama cha Albino Tanzania (Tas), Joseph Tona, alisema kauli hiyo imetokana na ongezeko la idadi ya mauaji dhidi yao.

Kadhalika, takwimu za kutoka mwaka 2006 zinaonyesha kuwa Albino 74 wameshauawa kikatili, huku 56 wakinusurika kifo, na kati yao 11 wameongezewa ulemavu mwingine wa kudumu.

“Tunaadhimisha siku ya amani Tanzania, lakini hatuna amani kabisa, wenzenu tunakatwa viungo na kuuawa kama kuku bila huruma, kingine cha ajabu makaburi 18 ya albino wenzetu yamefukuliwa na miili yao imetolewa, picha hii inaashiria nini?” alihoji Tona.

Alisema hofu hiyo imesababisha maziko yao kutokuwa na heshima kama wengine kutokana na baadhi ya familia kuwazika wapendwa wao kwa siri na wengine ndani ya nyumba, au kuweka zege nzito katika makaburi kuzuia ufukuaji wa miili yao.

Alisema licha ya serikali kuweka vikosi kazi katika kudhibiti mauaji hayo, bado haisaidii kitu kutokana na baadhi ya polisi na maofisa kuwa miongoni mwa vinara wa kupokea rushwa.

Kwa mujibu wa Tona, matukio zaidi ya 120 ni kesi za mauji ya albino, kati yake 11 ndiyo yaliyofikishwa Mahakama, ambapo kati ya hizo kesi tano tu zimeweza kutolewa hukumu hadi sasa.

Akitoa ushuhuda mmoja kati ya waathirika ambaye mikono yake miwili imekatwa, Mariam Stanford, mkazi wa Ngara, mkoani Kagera, aliwataka wauaji wa albino wanyongwe hadharani ili iwe fundisho kwa wengine wenye tabia kama hizo.

“Japokuwa Tanzania inasifika ndani na nje kama kisiwa cha amani, tafsiri hiyo ni kinyume kwani ni miongoni mwa nchi zinazoongoza kwa mauaji ya kikatili, hivyo mwito wangu kwa viongozi wa dini tumieni midomo yenu kupinga hali hii kwa sababu na sisi tumeumbwa na Mungu na tunastahili kuisha kama wengine,” alisema Miriam.

Mkurugenzi wa Shirika la Under The Same Sun, Vicky Ntetema, aliishauri serikali kupitia vikosi kazi vilivyochukua jukumu la kuchunguza mauaji na ukatwaji wa viungo kwa albino, kutangaza matokeo kwa umma ili wahusika wachukuliwe hatua za kisheria.

Pia, iuelezee umma matokeo ya kura za siri zilizopigwa katika mikoa tangu mwaka 2009 hadi sasa zibainishwe wazi kwani nyingi zimeonyesha waganga wa jadi kutumiwa na na viongozi wa kubwa katika kuwania nyadhfa mbalimbali serikalini.

Kutokana na hofu hiyo, ameitaka serikali kurejea mkakati wa mwaka 2009 uliotolewa na Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda, ili kupiga marufuku leseni za waganga wa kienyeji na wale wa jadi.

Waziri wa Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii, Dk. Seif Rashid, alizitaka taasisi zilizopewa jukumu la kusimamia vitendo hivyo vya kikatili dhidi ya walemavu hususani albino kutekeleza majukumu waliyopewa kisheria kwa uadilifu mkubwa jamii ya Watanzania ione haki inatendeka ili kudumisha amani ya nchi.

 CHANZO: NIPASHE

Je, Mheshimiwa PINDA utajenga jamii jumuishi ukipata kuwa rais?

Pinda: "Nilisomeshwa kwa kuuza pumba"

Dodoma. Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda ametoboa siri yake kuwa alisomeshwa kwa kuuza mahindi na pumba, na kwamba anajisikia raha kuitwa mtoto wa mkulima kutokana na sababu mbalimbali za kihistoria na uhalisia.

Pinda anayetajwa kutaka kuwania urais katika uchaguzi mkuu ujao mwaka 2015 alisema kuwa jina; ‘Mtoto wa Mkulima’, linampa faraja kutokana na ukweli kwamba wazazi wake walikuwa wakulima wa kawaida wa jembe la mkono, jambo ambalo naye alishiriki na hata sasa anaendelea na kilimo.

Chanzo: Mwananchi.

Maoni huru kwa Mheshimiwa Pinda

Sawli kwako Mheshimiwa Mizengo Pinda: Je, ukiwa rais wa nchi hii utajenga jamii jumuishi ambayo kila raia atakuwa huru kutembea popote na kufanya shughuli yoyote halali? Je, ndugu zetu albino watalindwaje ili kuhakikishiwa uhuru na haki yao ya kuishi? Na hawa wanafunzi wenye ulemavu, hasa wasioona na viziwi ambao wamekosa haki ya shule kutokana na kukosa walimu wenye taaluma ya elimu maalum nao watapatiwa walimu pamoja na vifaa saidizi?

Nakukumbusha Mheshimiwa Mizengo Pinda, kuwa chozi ulilolimwaga pale bungeni kwa machungu ya kuuawa albino liliweka alama ya kudumu moyoni mwangu kuwa wewe ni binadamu mwenye ubinadamu. Nina ombi kwako: Ikitokea umepata kuwa rais wa nchi hii, fanya mambo yaliyoonekana kuwa ni ndoto za mchana kwa watu wenye ulemavu. Hii ni pamoja na sera mfu zilizojaa maofisini kwenye halmashauri zetu nchini. Mtu mwenye ulemavu akienda kwa rejea ya zile nyaraka na sera za wenye ulemavu huambuliwa kuambiwa "wewe ndiye unajifanya unajua sheria sana?"

Kila lakheri Mheshimiwa Pinda kwenye kinyang'anyiro cha urais 2015!

Hakuna apendaye kuwa mlemavu

Hakuna mtu yeyote ambaye alikataliwa kwa kuzaliwa mweupe au mweusi wa ngozi. Hata mtu akizaliwa mweusi akachukua jukumu la kuibadilisha rangi yake ili awe mweupe jamii huwa haikubaliani na hali hiyo kabisa.

Ulemavu ni sawa na mtu kujikuta amezaliwa akiwa kabila fulani, akiwa na rangi fulani, akiwa mrefu au mfupi. Hakuna wa kumlaumu wala kujilaumu. Lakini kubwa zaidi ni kwamba dhana ya ulemavu imejengwa na jamii tu. Mitazamo yote imezalishwa na vitendo vya wanajamii.

Hivyo tunahitaji kuwa na mitazamo mizuri juu ya ulemavu na watu wenye ulemavu; kwa kuwa hatujui ni nani, na wakati gani atazaliwa na ulemavu, au atapatwa na ajali yenye kuleta ulemavu. Kuwa na mtazamo mzuri juu ya ulemavu na juu ya watu wenye ulemavu ni silaha ambapo muda wowote unapokutwa na ulemavu uweze kujikubali kwa hali, pia na watu wengine kwenye jamii waweze kukukubali na kukusaidia kwa yale utakayokuwa huwezi kuyafanya kwa sababu ya ulemavu.

Mtoto mdogo kiziwi akifundishwa lugha ya alama

Mwenye masikio na asikie ujumbe huu!

WE BETTER OPT FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN TANZANIA RATHER THAN INCLUSION

                    By Goodluck Kimambo

I always believe that “disability is an opportunity”. This is because the presence or absence of disability does not determine the quality of life.

One of the general teachers  among the government school in Mwanza region was quoted saying these words: “In this school we are facing an acute shortage of specialist teachers in sign language. We have two students (girls), one in form six and another in form five. They both pursue science subjects but we have no sign language interpreters to translate for them, though this is the government school. So in case of their studying they depend much in something fitted in their ears which look like earphone. They tend to deny someone especially teachers who are not conversant with their language". She continued "Myself I feel very bad but I have no choice. I feel to help them and in the coming year I will apply for studying the degree in special education. There is one University in Tanzania I heard, which offers a degree in special education in Tanga region. The university is known as Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University. Pray for me that I can get the chance there and then after three years I will be back to help learners with disabilities who will be enrolled in this school, with special reference to hearing impairment.”

From her conversation with me above, it seems that learners with hearing impairment enrolled to that sample school encounter huge problems during teaching and learning as well as social interaction with other members around them. The absence of specialist teachers in signing implies that, deaf students at that school are lacking the important aspect in learning which will result into poor academic achievement. 

She said that, “So in case of their studying they depend much in something fitted in their ears which look like earphone”. This implies that there are some general teachers who are not aware about special education/needs or inclusion. This goes against what literature says about the procedures to be followed before the establishment and implementation of an inclusive educational setting. A research by Berg Shannon (2004:40), recommended that, before any new inclusive programs developed and implemented, the building staff must agree on a clearly stated philosophy of education to all students. All teachers and support staff should be involved in any decision-making, planning and evaluation processes for students. Failure to involve all the stakeholders (school, parents, administrators and community as well as caregivers) must lead to poor participation and hence poor academic achievement for learners with disabilities. So all the stakeholders in general should not relent towards the building of inclusive societies hence reconciling with all learners and people in our societies.

Therefore, inclusive schools are not good, not suitable, not appropriate, and not acceptable; since they do not have enough specialized teachers, they lack inclusive buildings, they lack inclusive perspectives towards disability, and the learners with special needs are denied their rights to quality education.

References

Idahya S. (2014). Contemporary and comparative issues in education. Lushoto: Times Printing Company. 

Shanker, A. (1994-1995). Full inclusion is neither free nor appropriate. The Inclusive School, 54(4),retrieved March 8, 2003 fromhttp://ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/9412/shaker.html

UNESCO, (2005). Guidelines for Inclusion. France: Printed in the workshops of UNESCO.