Mr. Daniel Hirale

One of the greatest challenges a person with disabilities will experience is discrimination especially from peers.

Mr. Daniel Hirale a student with disability pursuing a certificate in Business administration at Jinja Campus shared his experience.

“Living with disability is so challenging as most of us who are physically impaired lack self-esteem, brought about by the environment in which we live. For example when people see me climbing on the boda boda, they look at it as a miracle yet its normal.

“ Being a person with disabilities, does not mean I am disabled, my brain and hands are normal. I own a small technical workshop making leather crafts, bags and belts, from which I raise tuition”

In the field of education, people with disabilities are looked at as second-class citizens especially by our own parents. I come from a humble background, I used to walk 5km daily to and from school and to make matters worse, my school fees was always paid last because I was looked at as a person with no future.

I was forced to hustle and push on with life. Because of that discrimination I am determined to sacrifice the little I have to get business knowledge to see to it that I fulfil my dream of constructing a technical institute and an orphanage home to help persons with disabilities.

Being a person with disabilities, does not mean I am disabled, my brain and hands are normal. I own a small technical workshop making leather crafts, bags and belts, from which I raise tuition and put food on my table along side taking care of my family.

I am currently employing 5 youth with disabilities and they are no longer begging on the streets. Most employers look at persons with disabilities asincompetent yet we can do 90% of what a normal person does. Employers need to change this attitude.

In the same way, I call upon parents who have children with disabilities to always take care of them, love and educate them so as to give them a great future.

And to the general public out there, all of us are God’s creatures, treat everyone including persons with disabilities equally.

We appreciate the Campus for putting up structures which are user friendly to persons with disabilities, that allow easy rolling of wheel chairs and for allocating us special washrooms. Thanks for prioritizing persons with disabilities in your offices, we are served first and with respect.