Staff Reporter
Maseru — Water Affairs Minister Timothy Thahane, who is also the patron of people with disabilities, said it is important to educate Basotho that people with disabilities can live independently like any other people.
Thahane said this during the White Cane Day celebrations at Ha Tšosane on Saturday.
He urged the ministry of education to work hard to ensure there are at least two schools for people with various disabilities in each district because such people need a proper educational foundation.
Member of Parliament for Motimposo constituency Pitso Maisa pleaded with Thahane to help provide Mohloli oa Bophelo, a centre for the disabled, with water.
Thahane promised to try his best to secure water tanks for the centre which faces serious water problems.
Thahane urged communities to assist the disabled and commended the Motimposo community for supporting people with disabilities.
Speaking on the same occasion, the Minister of Social Development, ‘Matebatso Doti, said the coalition government was working hard to improve the welfare of people living with disabilities.
Doti revealed that the Ministry of Education was in the process of securing assistive devices for disabled people to improve their opportunities so that they can match their able bodied counterparts.
She added that her ministry was busy with developing policies aimed at putting people with disability on the forefront.
Maisa said it is important that roads become user friendly for visually impaired persons.
President of the Lesotho National League for Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP) ‘Mabataung Khetsi said October is the month in which taking care of eyesight is observed worldwide.
Khetsi said they are to celebrate Cane Day to demonstrate that they are independent despite facing challenges of reaching other visually impaired people in remote areas who do not have canes.
She said it is also not easy to get the canes as they are very expensive and not affordable for some of their members.
Khetsi said that as LNLVIP they had recently presented about 20 canes to pupils at St Bernadette Primary School and another 21 to St Catherine High School pupils.
International White Cane day is celebrated on October 15.
