Disability, Employment and Freelancing.
There are plenty of differently abled people in Pakistan who are doing an amazing job in portraying a positive image of the country to the world. Many people are unaware of some of these splendid individuals. They are the unsung heroes of the nation who have worked tirelessly, despite their disabilities, and forged a name for themselves. It is not an easy task to create your own place in a society where there is an evident inequality in terms of opportunities, it is even more difficult if you are a woman. I have personally met some of the most courageous people with disabilities who have achieved brilliantly in their careers and are transforming their disabilities into abilities.
I don't think anyone is disabled, they are just differently abled as compared to everyone else. It is the skill that counts not the physical characteristics. However, it is very true that the society judges on the physical attributes more than mental capabilities but this mindset must change.
Every person is born for a reason and when they make an effort to excel in their lives, the society limits their chances on the basis of physical limitations. My question is why the physical constraints are even point of discussion? What makes a person competent for a job? The skill or physical features? If a person is coming to a workplace in a wheelchair and has a fitting qualification for the job, how is that person disabled? I know this is a rather optimistic view about the disability but after going through such a phase, when I was completely bedridden and unable to even move, I can now say that anyone with the physical restraint cannot be considered as disabled. A person can be deemed as disabled when he or she does not use hundred percent of their abilities and skills, it can also fall into can the category of perfectly “normal” individuals. It is all about what you possess and how you contribute it to society. Let's say, Lata Mangeshkar is an outstanding singer and Shahid Afridi isn't, does that make Shahid Afridi disabled? No, because he has his own abilities and talents. Furthermore, if that is the case then all of us are disabled in some way, isn't it? Each and every person has been born with a special and specified talent or skill, as the time progresses, we all explore our skills and talents and strive to contribute it to the world where countless other varieties of talents and skills are already being offered. Defining a person with the physical appearance or limitation is unfair. Everyone must get a chance to prove themselves, whatever the profession is.
The freelancing industry has rescued many unemployed individuals including the differently abled ones. This industry should be strengthened and supported by the government. All the necessary measures must be taken to make sure that the freelancers are facilitated, moreover, in Pakistan, the provision of local freelancing employment opportunities musbe initiated so that the individuals with physical confinement can also make themselves productive by staying at home and working within the comfort of their home. This way they would be able to utilize their own skills and abilities for earning without any apprehensions about physical disability coming in the way of their progression. Recently, I worked on a freelance project with KHUD. It is an initiative that works on the digitalization of education. Pakistan is facing a huge educational crisis and there is a big vacuum of teachers throughout the country so KHUD basically tackles that predicament. They are striving to bring education on the internet instead of relying on the teachers. The students are provided with a curriculum which contains all the necessary data and links from the internet. I made the Biology curriculum for the primary school students. It was a freelance project and my first ever stipend was from KHUD. They made the task accessible by allowing me to work from home. I really appreciate and mention them here because they highlighted an idea of empowering the disabled and making them contributing members of the society. More institutes and organizations must offer such freelance projects to the disabled individuals so that they can showcase their talent and be an active member of the society.
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I don't think anyone is disabled, they are just differently abled as compared to everyone else. It is the skill that counts not the physical characteristics. However, it is very true that the society judges on the physical attributes more than mental capabilities but this mindset must change.
Every person is born for a reason and when they make an effort to excel in their lives, the society limits their chances on the basis of physical limitations. My question is why the physical constraints are even point of discussion? What makes a person competent for a job? The skill or physical features? If a person is coming to a workplace in a wheelchair and has a fitting qualification for the job, how is that person disabled? I know this is a rather optimistic view about the disability but after going through such a phase, when I was completely bedridden and unable to even move, I can now say that anyone with the physical restraint cannot be considered as disabled. A person can be deemed as disabled when he or she does not use hundred percent of their abilities and skills, it can also fall into can the category of perfectly “normal” individuals. It is all about what you possess and how you contribute it to society. Let's say, Lata Mangeshkar is an outstanding singer and Shahid Afridi isn't, does that make Shahid Afridi disabled? No, because he has his own abilities and talents. Furthermore, if that is the case then all of us are disabled in some way, isn't it? Each and every person has been born with a special and specified talent or skill, as the time progresses, we all explore our skills and talents and strive to contribute it to the world where countless other varieties of talents and skills are already being offered. Defining a person with the physical appearance or limitation is unfair. Everyone must get a chance to prove themselves, whatever the profession is.
The freelancing industry has rescued many unemployed individuals including the differently abled ones. This industry should be strengthened and supported by the government. All the necessary measures must be taken to make sure that the freelancers are facilitated, moreover, in Pakistan, the provision of local freelancing employment opportunities musbe initiated so that the individuals with physical confinement can also make themselves productive by staying at home and working within the comfort of their home. This way they would be able to utilize their own skills and abilities for earning without any apprehensions about physical disability coming in the way of their progression. Recently, I worked on a freelance project with KHUD. It is an initiative that works on the digitalization of education. Pakistan is facing a huge educational crisis and there is a big vacuum of teachers throughout the country so KHUD basically tackles that predicament. They are striving to bring education on the internet instead of relying on the teachers. The students are provided with a curriculum which contains all the necessary data and links from the internet. I made the Biology curriculum for the primary school students. It was a freelance project and my first ever stipend was from KHUD. They made the task accessible by allowing me to work from home. I really appreciate and mention them here because they highlighted an idea of empowering the disabled and making them contributing members of the society. More institutes and organizations must offer such freelance projects to the disabled individuals so that they can showcase their talent and be an active member of the society.
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| Image Courtesy Freepik. |
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