Regarding inclusion of PWD, somehow I feel that Singapore can still do much more in this area. Although we already had special needs school and different organisations set up to cater to their needs, however, disability is still a taboo topic especially among the older generations. To really allow inclusion to take place, we need to first ask ourselves what is disability, what is inclusion, what could be done etc. And to really do that, education is the most important factor. Stereotypes and prejudices are common and unpleasant labels are often given to them. I myself had personally witness discrimination against a PWD. People have misconceptions about PWD because most of the time, they do not have a chance to interact with them. However, if they were to do so, one would actually realise that PWD are just like any one of us! They have dreams, have hopes, attend school, go to work just like any other people. If we were to look passed these differences that we might have be it physically or intellectually, we will be able to discover and learn something new from them.
In my opinion, the Cambodians might be more accepting of PWD compared to Singaporeans. In the first place, the PWD will already be living in a closely-knit community. The ‘kampung spirit’ is strong and people will take care and keep a look out for each other.
Prior to the trip, we attended a training session at AWWA Special School to help us get better prepared in interacting and handling the assistive devices PWD might use. From the training, I find myself getting a better understanding of communicating and handling the assistive devices of the PWD. This definitely helps when I attended our pre-trip activity with the clients from AWWA Special School.
To sum it up, the experiences yesterday with the clients really inspire me. They are full of optimism and do not let their disability hinder them from a life just like any other people. Seeing their determination and positive attitudes makes me wants to learn from them too. I really hope that during our time in Cambodia, all of us will possess the same strong sense of determination and optimism like the clients especially when facing obstacles and challenges. Even though the 14 days there might not be enough for us to do everything for the long run, I believe that the team can still do a lot and will be able to do it well! Jiayou peeps! :D