22 November 2019
Courtney Vuti is a young woman in Luganville. She is 23 years old.She was born with a disability. She is a member of little people. But she can do anything same as people without disability. She can play volleyball and netball very well even though she has a disability. Her short height is no longer disability, it’s her individuality.
She is working as an assistant officer for VDPA. Before joining VDPA, she stayed at home and does housework and been supporting her mum at the Chinese shops where her mother works at.She has been learning how to use Microsoft word and excel in VDPA. And now, she can provide documents such as media release, official letter, budget sheet, and so on.We first met her, she didn’t have confidence and she was very shy. But she had opened up bit by bit and built a good relationship with us. And now, she’s got confidence and enjoys her job.
She grew up in a great family. Her parents took good care of her same as other siblings and they are always kind to her. Also, they never maltreated her. So, she said “I’m happy that I got such a great family in my life.”
However, when she was a student, she faced a lot of challenges. Students insulted her and said nasty things that brought shame on her. Every day in school it was like living in hell for her.When she walked in the town, some people said to her such things that hurts her felling and stares at her.With all these attitudinal barriers, she didn’t only want to go to school but also didn’t want to go out.But her parents encourages her a lot. After that, she didn’t care anymore if someone insulted her.
She said, “If someone say nasty things to me, I don’t worry about what they are saying. I just don’t care. Because, I know that I have the same human right as people without disabilities. However, other people with disability are isolating themselves from others while others stayed only in their houses. They don’t want to go out because people stare at them and says awful things to them. So, I wish to encourage everyone that if you see someone with a disability, please talk to them with respect in order for them to feel that they are part of the community and can move around freely and enjoy their rights as anyone else.”
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