Wheelchair challenge |21 October 2023

Campaign to highlight lack of accessibility for wheelchair-bound persons

A campaign to raise awareness on accessibility to wheelchair-bound persons will be launched on December 1 by the Elderly and Disabled Persons Division in the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports.

Dubbed the ‘Ramp up Rise up Accessibility’ campaign, its objective is to highlight the general lack of accessibility for those with mobility issues and encourage all key  players within the public and private sectors to take note of their societal responsibilities, to make improvement in this area.

It is an initiative of Christine Winslow, whose son uses a wheelchair.

Mrs Winslow said the idea was borne out of the daily frustrations of a family who has to deal with mobility issues, and the added difficulties to access necessary facilities, which is mentally exhausting to people in wheelchairs.

She noted that too many establishments across the country do not provide access for persons using a wheelchair.  

“It is only after having been forced to confront these realities that we really understood just how far behind we, as a society, are in embracing the dignity of those with mobility difficulties. We want to make it that all people in a wheelchair can enter all establishments, including the schools. So that you do not have to go to only to the exceptional school but you can choose, whichever school you want to go to,” said Mrs Winslow.

She also noted that this requires the efforts of everybody. Leading up to the campaign in December, a ‘wheelchair challenge’ has been organised for participants to feel and experience, what it was like to access places and services while wheelchair-bound.

The challenge is open to key persons holding positions of responsibility within their organisations and who can effect change. It would be a chance for them to see what is available for wheelchair users so they can advocate for better accessibility in development plans.

The first person to take the challenge on Wednesday afternoon was Louisianne Jacques, the chairperson of the Retailers Association, who tried to shop at Temooljee’s Supermarket, Victoria House, in her wheelchair.

She entered the supermarket with no hassle but had trouble accessing items on top shelves. However, she found it difficult to enter some shops and had to be assisted by another person.

After her wheelchair experience, Mrs Jacques noted that it was very tough, especially if one has to move around in tight spaces.

She said the experience had made her realise the many things that need to be done in the country to ease the lives of those using a wheelchair.

She added the association will definitely launch a campaign involving retailers, to make their shopping outlets accessible to wheelchairs.

The director of the Elderly and Disabled Persons division, Marco Gerry, said they will be working with Mrs Winslow to sensitise stakeholders and developers to take into account the elderly and disabled persons in their development plans to ensure accessibility to those persons.  

Mrs Winslow said the ‘wheelchair challenge’ is also to raise fund for a standard wheelchair, which will be gifted to the division.

Patrick Joubert