Braille manual, video for deaf on HIV launched in Belize City
For most people, talking openly about sex and sexually transmitted diseases can be challenging. So you can imagine what it must be like if you’re disabled and have to go through another person to get the information you need to protect yourself. That’s the uncomfortable and dangerous reality that’s facing thousands of differently-abled persons around the region. But today a Belizean organisation launched a breakthrough initiative that will make a big difference. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.
Eleanor Enriquez, National Resource Centre for Inclusive Education
“For quite some time now there has been a proliferation of material on sex, HIV and AIDS for the general public but I think at, behind it, I think they forgot that there were persons who were unable to access the information through the regular means.”
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
To ensure equal access to information about HIV and AIDS by differently-abled persons, this morning the Community Agency for the Rehabilitation and Education for Persons with Disabilities launched the country’s first Braille manual for the visually impaired and a sign language video for the deaf.
Twenty-nine year old Victor Chan was born visually impaired and is one of the first Belizeans to benefit from the project.
Victor Chan, Visually Impaired
“At least I have this information in Braille that I can refer to and I can read it and I can get to understand all about it. You don’t hear people talking about this. It’s not something that people would talk about everyday. It’s just the few people that you would come across, then you know.”
Differently-abled persons are among the most vulnerable populations in the fight against HIV and AIDS because often times they are heavily dependent on care givers. While there are no statistics to determine an exact number, cases of disabled persons living with HIV have been reported in Belize. It’s a disturbing situation that’s prompting educators to call for greater consideration of the needs of disabled persons.
Eleanor Enriquez
“Wheelchair access, sign language, the information in Braille, those things are very important. We don’t have that. That information is very limited especially for the deaf, their ability to keep things confidential because if they need to get an interpreter, that’s another person knowing my status.”
Janelle Chanona
“Do you think there’s this perception that oh because I’m disabled or because she’s disabled, I’m maybe not sexually active?”
Eleanor Enriquez
“Yes there is that or people would say that they don’t have the right to be. But all persons who are deaf and those who have visual impairments, they have all rights … in fact all persons have a right to sexual gratification and fulfillment. I believe that.”
Belize is one of the first countries in the Caribbean to produce a Braille manual and hearing impaired video on HIV and AIDS. And while the new publications are a step in the right direction, the experts acknowledge that securing the rights of differently-abled persons will require greater public participation and acceptance.
Evan Cowo, Director, CARE Belize
“People with sensory problems, deaf and blind, can contract AIDS like other populations so we need to be conscious of that and we ask that all initiatives, all policies that are made, take into consideration this population. This project brought together all the resources we have in Belize, put them together, we edit and so we came up and we have it in Braille and in sign language.”
The Braille manual and hearing impaired video was financially supported through the 2007 U.S. Ambassador’s Fund. A key player in the initiative was CARE intern and University of Belize Social Work student, Onando St. Bernard.
Onando St. Bernard, Social Work Student, U.B.
“With a project like this, it’s all about empowering others and that is what social work is. We go out into the society to empower others and with creating this Braille manual for the visually impaired and the video for the hearing impaired, we are having them empower themselves with the knowledge of HIV/AIDS so that they can make sound decisions for themselves. They don’t have to depend on anybody else. They can easily get the information, go over it and make their own decisions.”
The copies of the manual and video will be distributed to resource centres and libraries across the country. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
For more information about CARE Belize, please visit their offices at 25 Gabourel Lane or email them at carebelize@btl.net.
