Children living with disabilities face exclusion and discrimination stagnating their social life and equal access to education. This segregation often affects their development and breeds family and societal ignorance towards their peculiar needs. Therefore, it is pertinent to create awareness to address these issues in our societies.

The Queen Luciano Foundation, in collaboration with the Sisters of St. Louis, Community Based Rehabilitation (SSL-CBR), took out time to march out in their numbers for the “We Ring the Bell” campaign.. This initiative was held at St. Louis Nursery and Primary School, Akure,  and it aimed to sensitise the community about the existence, needs and situation of children with disabilities, promoting inclusive play-based early childhood 

Empowering children with disabilities through awareness and inclusion

The “We Ring the Bell” awareness is a is project launched by Community Based Rehabilitation organ of Sisters of St Louis, Akure, Ondo State. This initiative was birthed years ago to create an awareness of the existence of children with disabilities in both the local community and the world at large. They found that such children have suffered from discrimination and exclusion by both their immediate family and society. The “We Ring the Bell,” thus, became a clarion call for all and sundry to be kind to the children with disabilities around them.

However,  for the 2024 “We Ring the Bell,” Queen Luciano Foundation team opted to collaborate with the Sisters of St Louis to make sure that this year’s campaign come to massive fruition. The Queen Luciana Foundation brought itself out for this partnership as a result of its novel desire to include, in its objectives, the concerns of Special Children. It understands that disabled children have been one part of the community that has been neglected and excluded for years. So, its collaboration with the Sisters of St Louis for the “We Ring the Bell” campaign was a dream come true.

The event started with a procession by the staff and volunteers of Sisters of St Louis, teachers and pupils of St Louis Nursery and Primary School, Akure, and the Staff and Volunteers of Queen Luciana Foundation. The march began from Sacred Heart Cathedral, Akure church premises and ended at St Louis Nursery and Primary School compound. With bells in their hands and ringing to call the attention of the local community, they announced to everyone that they should bring out their children with disabilities and allow them to associate with the rest of the world.

Participants chanted powerful messages such as “There is ability in disability” and “Having a disability doesn’t stop me from doing anything.” They campaigned that there is ability in disability which means that those that are acclaimed disabled can be monitored and educated to harness their full potential in life.

At St Louis Nursery and Primary School hall, everyone in attendanc took their seats to get the lectures started. It began with an opening prayer led by Rev. Fr. Stephen Omokoba. This was followed by an opening speech by the coordinator of SSL, Rev. Maria Odaboye. She officially opened the event, setting a tone of inclusivity and hope. She welcomed everyone to the occasion, expressed her warm gratitude to everyone that made it to the event. She briefly explained the reason for the awareness and its importance to both the children and the community.  Rev. Sister Clara emphasized the importance of accepting and supporting children with disabilities. She stressed that these children are an integral part of society and deserve equal opportunities.

The welcome address was followed immediately by a welcome song performed by the children of St. Louis Nursery and Primary School. The children showed their talent through their voices and rhythms.

This gave way to an informative educational talk by Miss Clementina Shitoh. She gave an enlightening talk bordering on the theme of the day, “Inclusive Plan-Based Early Childhood Education.” She discussed the challenges and importance of dedicating special attention to the education of children with disabilities.

Her talk covered promoting inclusivity, the importance of parent-teacher collaboration, and encouraging children to focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities. She also  emphasised that inclusiveness is a journey and that everyone must work together to ensure every child is included in daily life.

Furthermore, there was a question and answer session of which children and participants asked questions based on the lecture. Their questions border on the legal protections taken against discrimination and the reasons behind some disabled individuals choosing to beg by which they are known for in Nigeria. The session provided valuable insights and reinforced the importance of education and support for children with disabilities.

Some minutes were given for some of the invited children to proceed outside the hall ringing a bell. This symbolic action of ringing a bell shows the main aim of the event which is to promote the cohabitation of both the disabled and abled children within one environment.

Moreso, the event became more fun and entertaining with performances and presentations by the different schools in attendance, like Sacred Heart Nursery and Primary School, Akure, showcasing the talents and abilities of children.

There were also fun exhibitions, including drama, welcome songs, and cultural dances, highlighting the potential of every child.

It came time for parents to share their success stories, providing encouragement and motivation to others. These stories demonstrated the positive impact of inclusive education and support for their disabled children championed mainly by the intervention of the Sisters of St Louis, Akure. Donations were made to encourage the education and management of children with disabilities. Queen Luciano Foundation team presented the school with 200 notebooks to promote the education of children with disabilities.

Other guests made generous donations for the good of the school.

The “We Ring the Bell” awareness at St. Louis Nursery and Primary School was a remarkable success. The event not only raised awareness about the rights and needs of children with disabilities but also fostered a sense of community and inclusion. By promoting the theme “Inclusive Play-Based Early Childhood Education,” the Queen Luciano Foundation and SSL-CBR took significant steps toward creating a more inclusive society. The program concluded with a closing remark and prayer, followed by a group photo session that captured the joy and unity of the day.