Brava: International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated with the educational community

The team carried out activities at Escola Básica Viriato Morais, in the town of Mato Grande, to raise awareness among the educational community about the need to understand issues related to disability.

Speaking to Inforpress, the psychologist and coordinator of EMAEI in Brava, Edoneia Teixeira, explained that these playful activities engaged students from the first to the fourth year of school, with bowling games, hand prints with paints for children to put on paper, races and other games.

Edoneia Teixeira also highlighted that children with disabilities are often isolated, but assured that in schools they engage very well, this is because they have friends who are always by their side, helping with their activities.

In this sense, she considered it “important” to observe the “engagement and empathy” that each of the children has with their peers who have difficulties.

On Brava Island, the coordinator highlighted that the team is working on the issue of raising awareness with family members, showing them that children with disabilities are like other so-called normal children, as according to her they have their limitations, however they also have the its potentialities.

“Every day that we encourage families of people with disabilities to stay closer to their children, accompanying them in all activities, we will be successful little by little, because working with the public is not an easy task, but EMAEI has done do their utmost to help family members interact with the children and the team”, he highlighted.

The psychologist stated that practically from pre-school there are children who have difficulties and also explained that to talk about disabilities, all types of deficiencies must be covered.

“Sometimes people think that disabilities only apply to those in a wheelchair, but no, there are intellectual disabilities that we don't see, however, these children need support even more. From kindergarten to secondary school there are children and adolescents who show some difficulty in terms of intellectual learning”, he explained.

Edoneia Teixeira appealed to the educational community and family members to be closer to their children, as the closer they are to them, the more they will be able to get to know their children better and work with them.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated annually on December 3rd with the aim of informing the population about all issues related to disability, but also working on the inclusion of people with disabilities in different sectors, such as political, economic and cultural.

Inforpress