“Methodist Special School faces transportation problems” - Mrs Lucy Sarfo

She made these remarks during an annual festival organised by Love by Force Awareness Organisation and held at Methodist Special School on Monday 20th December 2021.

She added that some students are on the waiting list due to the same problem. She observed that parents of most students in Banjul and beyond cannot afford to pay daily transport fares resulting in their children not being able to have access to education.

Pa Modou Bojang, founder Love by Force Awareness said there are some parts of the country that still term differently able children as witches and imbeciles even at the family levels.

He emphasised that there is a lot to be done in making them feel connected to the rest, adding that public handicap toilets needs to be constructed for them, not name-calling, including them in activities, giving them the kind of support they need as they are not disabled but differently able.

He called on government to buckle up and play its part by increasing teachers’ salaries, improving the learning environment for students, equipping the school with learning materials, among others.

He added that he expected the school to look different when he arrived this year but surprisingly it still looks the same as when he visited last year.

Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia, Senior Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health said a lot of children in homes and society especially differently able are mostly prone to abuse.

“I believe the differently able are at higher risk of being taken advantage of. This is because a lot of parents do not talk to their children on issues of relevance. Parents should be mindful of their children welfare, most especially their bodies and puberty,” he added.

She urged parents to directly engage their children in topics such as how to take precautions before and when they see their menstruation, how to prevent themselves from unwanted pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections as well as not to speak to them in parables.

Fatou Jammeh, Vice President Parents Teachers Association of the school said parents should deviate from differentiating their differently able children from their other children.

She added that parents play a big role in the growth of their differently able children, adding that giving certain privileges to other children and isolating them slows their growth and social interaction.

Mrs Jammeh thanked teachers of the school for the relentless service provided for the students.

Love by Force Awareness Organization was formed in Sweden in 2017. It was inspired by a festival organised for children with different kind of disabilities. The aim of the festival is to ensure they interact with others and make them feel connected like other children.

The annual festival also aims to ensure differently able children in The Gambia feel their dreams can turned into realities.