PEOPLE with disabilities can now receive advice and peer counselling thanks to the Uphawulethemba Crisis and Care Centre who launched their office at the Umdoni Centre.
Chairman of Uphawulethemba, Ella Nyanda said she formed the organisation in 2010 and it was registered in 2011 after seeing so many of her disabled friends dying without accomplishing their dreams and were afraid to visit clinics to receive medical attention.
“People do not understand that although we have a disability, we live a normal life just like everybody else. Disabled people are scared to go to clinics to get tested for HIV/Aids as they sometimes are laughed at and are ridiculed,” she said.
The advice and counselling offices will also assist people who were not born with a disability and who find it hard to live with their circumstances.
“Disabled people are raped all the time as people think they are mentally ill and they won’t be able to identify them,” said Nyanda. Bulelwa Mbolekwa who is the deputy manager at the Department of Health said she loves being blind.
“I do not have a problem with my disability as normal people are guided by rules and regulations. Rules like do not drink and drive do not affect me and therefore I can drink without any hassles,” chuckled Mbolekwa.
“Disabled people should stop feeling sorry for themselves, they should go out there and show their talents and skills. There is nothing wrong with being disabled and we should not be victims of discrimination. We need a society that will accept people with disabilities. We want people to take us seriously. Even the employment equity states that the companies must cater for people with disabilities,” she said.
Mbolekwa has made a name for herself and is very involved in uplifting people with disabilities as she is also a member of Disabled People of South Africa (DPSA) and is the deputy chairman of the KZN Society for the Blind.
Nyanda said this office will make their lives and jobs much easier as they use to work from their home or sometimes the counsellor’s offices in Clermont.
Anyone who would like to contact Uphawulethemba can call Ella on 078 234 3497 and their offices are open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 7.30pm.
