community

First Lady Vivian Fernández de Torrijos is taking on one of the ugliest and most wasteful notions that circulates in our society, the idea that people with disabilities have no place in a competitive society.

Set aside all feelings of pity and all concepts of justice for a moment and consider what it means to Panama's efforts to develop a modern economy when tens of thousands of people with one sort of disability or another but with plenty of other abilities and many talents are systematically excluded from the productive work force. At the bottom line of our national economy, it's a self-destructive prejudice that this country can't afford.

Walk the streets of our capital, and enter the buildings where governmental and economic power are exercised, and notice how many physical barriers exclude people in wheelchairs. See all the missing storm drain grates and sewer caps, and know that these are deadly hazards for the blind.

And notice that in many of our public schools we have inadequate early testing for learning disabilities, that leader dogs for the blind are very rare here, that panhandling on the streets is the lot of so many individuals who have the ability and right to contribute so much more toward themselves and their fellow Panamanians.

As a start toward solving this enormous problem, the first lady has begun the "Brazalete Incluye" campaign, in which blue bracelets are being sold with the proceeds to be used to equip 65 regular public school classrooms to handle the needs of kids with hearing or visual problems --- things like audiophones for the hard of hearing and notebooks with black lines, large magnifying glasses and reading lamps for those with subnormal vision.

Mrs. Torrijos noted that this country's community of people with disabilities is not particularly looking for displays of affection or handouts. "What it wants is a true change of attitude," she said at the launch of her bracelet campaign. "I am sure that with this campaign, in addition to showing that we all include people with disabilities, we give our support to inclusive education," she said.


Also in this section:
First Lady's campaign for people with disabilities
Anona Kirkland, 1904-2005

Back to top

Financial services at Finansbanken --- http://www.finansbanken.dk/english/index.html
Build a home in Las Cumbres with Villa Concordia --- http://villaconcordia-pma.com/
Make the Executive Hotel your headquarters in Panama City --- http://www.executivehotel-panama.com
Let Alegria Web Design handle your Internet needs --- http://www.alegriawebdesign.com