Return to Presentations Index
Logo for the
 Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and 
 Exchange
Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services to Persons Born in other Countries
May 6 - 8, 2002

Managing problems of disabled Nigerians: Cultural impact

Kekeson, C.
Sammino Internationals on Disability and Exchange (SIDE)
Ibadan, Nigeria
side-sial@justice.com

Abstract

Every year, thousands of people in Africa suffer the tragedy of becoming disabled. Land mines, diabetes, trauma, tumors, birth defects, religious conflict and natural disasters are major causes. What possibility do people with disabilities have of happy, productive lives? What is the fate of disabled Africans? They lack training, and are often misrepresented. Social workers lack adequate funding, mobility and interest in providing equipment for rehabilitation, despite the fact that doing so would reduce a ssociated social problems, and ensure that consumers were adequately reoriented to participate in the work force or in other socio-economic development within their society. This presentation will evaluate the effect of culture on the disabled community a nd analyze the impact of culture upon beliefs, behavior, treatment, the survival or recovery of consumers, and the mechanism of social building. To determine and confirm how these problems could be solved, Sammino Internationals is visiting charity homes and Directors of Rehabilitation, distributing questionnaires and collating data, which will also enhance communication among national and international disability rehabilitation groups.

Return to Presentations Index