Working Thesis - Key Issues in Cameroon for Dd

Working Thesis Statement:

The need in Cameroon, for services which provide individual care: education, medical, personal/emotional, developmental, to people with DD and relief for their families is great. The need to transform the erroneous stigma that forces them into isolation needs to be lifted by community outreach and education.

Key issues in Cameroon for DD

* Ignorance/lack of education and information

* Lack of community support for DD and families

* Lack of medical care for DD

* Lack of educational programs for DD

* Lack of programs like YAI that help population to cope

* Lack of government funding and involvement

Challenges for the educator

* Overcoming strong erroneous views about DD

* Surmounting the mindset of curse, bring understanding about disease

* Transforming stigmatism from community into compassion and support

* Bringing educators on board and getting support of public servants and institutions

* Government support: funding, programming, influencing public opinion

* Time, money and energy

Solutions

* Education everyone. Begin with family work outwards.

* Money for programs. Grants. Government involvement. Fundraising through partnerships. GTZ?

* Resources for parents

* Resources for children

Key issues in Cameroon for DD

* Ignorance/lack of education and information

In Cameroon, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10% of the population are living with disabilities. Like many countries in Africa, the lack of education and general societal ignorance about developmental disabilities (DD) leads to misconceptions about its' meaning. DDs are generally perceived as a curse, bad luck or a form of insanity. The consequence is an attitude of indifference or disgust for families who struggle to cope with and support their family members with DDs. One of the challenges is to change the strongly ingrained, erroneous ideas about the definition of disabilities.

Example:

A member of my family, Cedrick, is developmentally disabled. Although he is 16 years old, he is mentally developed to the age of 2. His mother, my aunt, is poor, has just a high school education and is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for five other children, her husband and household. Cedrick is surrounded by people who do not understand or know how to deal with his disability. He is kept in isolation, chained in a room to keep him under control. He is not let out