Independent living skills camp for youths with disabilities successfully held
Mekyla Belgrave
Mekyla Belgrave

EVER since 2017, the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) has been hosting an independent living skills camp for young persons with disabilities. With in-person meetings now out of the question, it becomes a wonder that the camp was still able to be pulled off – and quite successfully at that.

Perhaps some of the most resilient members of society, those living with disabilities who participated in the five-day camp, continue to defy the odds against them with ingenious ideas, determined efforts, and a striving towards achieving the very things that just about anyone else can.

The organisers and participants of the camp made the pandemic no issue this year and decided to host it virtually, even as questions abounded as to just how skills training would take place for those with disabilities in a virtual setting.

Participants for the first time benefitted from a virtual camp this time around

Previously, the participants would meet as a group at an outdoor location, perhaps beside a pool or in a park, and be assisted by professionals. This time, though, everyone was logging in from home. But wouldn’t you know? It seems that the participants thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from the sessions like any other year.

“This was one of the best camps we had because the engagements and interactions were overwhelming. It was beyond our expectations and people were sad that it was ending,” GCOPD Programme Coordinator Ganesh Singh said on Friday.

Although held virtually, participants thoroughly enjoyed the camp

The camp saw participants who were between the ages of 14 and 22 from all across Guyana. “For the first few camps, it was focused on Regions 3, 4 and a few from 10. Going virtually this year provided us with the opportunity to include more people from other regions, so we had participants from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10,” Singh explained.

A total of 48 youths benefitted from the sort of skills training that can help them lead more independent lives; they were exposed to mobility skills and other areas that are critical to their overall development.

“It was not just about lecturing and learning, learning, learning all the time but it was a mix of activities,” Singh pointed out. “After the session, they had a scavenger hunt to take a picture of something in their home and post it in a particular group and the persons with the most creative pictures won prizes. At other times they were told to wear their favourite shirt and take a pic with certain items. We had the benefit of external judges and the participants were able to win tablets, speaker boxes, etc.” Singh continued.

A bag with practical items needed for the camp was sent to each of the participants, thus making it more enjoyable and fun for them.
Mekyla Belgrave, a 17-year-old participant who is blind, expressed that the camp was a lot of fun and very informative. She enjoyed the sessions on mental health issues, the concert and the comedy show.

The GCOPD is really appreciative of the cash grants of $25,000 for persons living with disabilities and said that the electricity one-month subsidy would also prove very beneficial. “It must be underscored that this initiative…is a significant one that will bring much needed financial relief to an impoverished, marginalised community. It must be highlighted that the majority of persons with disabilities did not benefit from the COVID-19 cash grant that was given at the end of last year. The GCOPD is pleased that this new cash relief measure is specific and targeted to the community,” GCOPD said.

As an umbrella body for 24 Disabled People Organisations (DPOs) across Guyana, GCOPD appreciates the various measures that have recently been implemented. It is the umbrella body that represents the majority of DPOs from across Guyana, working in advocacy and capacity building.

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