2020: the year of “I can’t breathe”. From the horrific murder of George Floyd and the ensuing global protests, the respiratory distress experienced by millions within months, or the vitriolic echo of the ‘anti-maskers’ – the legacy of that one short polyseme will undoubtedly be felt in years to come. Already, the most tangible and provocative impacts have been felt in education – rethinking both what we teach, and how we teach it.
This view is often implied in discussions about disability, Africa and development. But the case for inclusion is economic, social and above all moral. We should view it as an opportunity rather than an expense.
At Disability Africa, we try to think things through before we act. We do get emotional sometimes, but we try never to let that guide our strategy.
To allow our projects to become poverty tourism attractions would reinforce the models of charity, unequal relationships and double standards that we reject and deplore.
