Pretoria - Organisations that cater for persons living with disabilities are among communities hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only has it it affected them financially, but also those who use their services have been left in confusion.
This comes as Covid-19 affected everyone, as society was forced to adapt to new ways of going about life.
Linda Badenhorst of non-profit organisation Shockwave The Move said people with disabilities, especially those with mental illnesses, are heavily affected because they do not understand why they have to isolate and adhere to certain lockdown rules and regulations.
“We work with different organisations, and the mentally ill could not understand why they could not see their family members. They felt like they did something wrong and did not understand what was going on.
“Some of them are autistic, and when something like this happens, and it has never happened before, it is very hard for them to understand what is happening. They have been left feeling like they did something wrong and were being punished for it by keeping them away from their loved ones and not having contact with them” said Badenhorst.
She said many of them become confused that when they go home for a visit, they had to isolate on their return, something which opens a window for depression. “We also work with old age homes and the elderly became lonesome and felt depressed during the past two years.”
Another challenge pointed out by those who work with people with disabilities is that some of them do not want to vaccinate and this has led them to isolate a little longer than those who have vaccinated if they go out to visit their loved ones.
“They are so confused and also do not understand why some of them got very ill. They are scared of everything.”
Organisations said they also lost some of their staff members to Covid and are short-staffed and under pressure. “Financially, we have all suffered a lot since donors were not able to assist as much because businesses have also been affected by the pandemic.”
The support was no longer what organisations had become used to, said Badenhorst, as she appealed to people and businesses to reach out to these organisations and offer support. She also said organisations should allow people into the facilities since Covid was no longer as severe as it was.
The Shockwave The Move has a project called Unique Market which allows organisations and individuals to sell their products/crafts at the market. In a market held earlier this month, they tried to raise funds to help those in need, non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations in and around Pretoria that cater for those living with disability.
“The whole idea is to make people aware of the different disabilities that are there and facilities around Pretoria that cater for those with disabilities.”
Pretoria News