The Antigua and Barbuda Association of Persons Living with Disabilities through it’s ‘We Care’ program, is seeking to assist one of its members who lost her leg in 1979.
The organisation is making a public appeal for assistance to help rebuild a home for Sharon Walters who was injured in an explosion.
Currently, the woman is living in a dilapidated house which poses many health risks.
Association president Bernard Warner speaking with state media says a collective approach should be taken to address the issues of the disabled community.
He says the disabled community, themselves have to get involved in ensuring that their brothers and sisters are helped in Antigua and Barbuda.
‘We care’ is a program established to assist persons like Sharon and other persons suffering from disabilities Warner says.
“It is a fight for us; we are the ones suffering from lack of employment, health care, bad roads, poor housing and we as an organisation, we realise if we don’t pull together as a unit.”
He added “we are not going to get anywhere, so we decided to launch ‘we care’ to ask the public, do you care? Let’s begin the empowerment and improvement of people living with disabilities in Antigua and Barbuda.”
The group’s secretary Wendy Valentine is calling on the general public to assist Sharon in getting a more conducive home to live.
“We are here with Sharon in solidarity and say we can’t wait the next six months, the next year for somebody to say something and to do something to aid her in her condition,” Valentine told ABS.
“We are here to ask the general public, the government, the opposition and anybody who is willing to help so that Sharon can get help with her home. There are too many people who are living in Antigua and Barbuda who are living with disabilities, who are living in a situation that is not conducive to them,” she added.
The wooden structure is already badly deteriorated, and steps must be taken to immediately address it.
