CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 153

means that a social worker is needed to do some
visits ... If it is that somebody has visited them,
then it is awaiting the committee’s approval. If
the committee has approved it, it is awaiting
payment through the MLSS,” she said.
For her, there is an advantage to receiving an
approval.
“If it is approved, he/she is far better than those
who have not yet been assessed because he/
she will get it, whether this financial year or
the next financial year.”
Michael Williams, 30, was “far better off” as his
application was approved and the grant paid.
“That was one of the better moments since I had
the accident. I am a fisherman by profession
so I had applied for $20,000 to purchase my
fishing supplies and keep the trade alive,” he
told Carimac Times.
Williams’ left arm was severed when a car
collided with his motorcycle.
“That was the worst day of my life and I was
[further] devastated when I realised that losing
my arm could threaten my livelihood. As much
as I was grateful to be alive, I couldn’t imagine
life as an amputee,” he confessed.
Williams said, through the support of his
family, he was able to adjust to life with one
arm, though it was a difficult process.
“It’s almost like you had to relearn the way you
use to do things. I eventually started swimming
again and practising to use a spear gun to shoot

fish because I could no longer manage to use
the net,” he explained.
His livelihood survived.
“I am back to selling my fish and helping to
support my family and if it weren’t for the
grant, I wouldn’t be able to do all of this, again.”
Hendricks outlined that family support is critical
to the development and the life of PWDs. She
expressed that things will not change until
parents/relatives acknowledged that family
members with any disability are people too
and become vocal and active in advocacy on
their behalf.
“The first thing is to acknowledge that your
child/relative has a disability and get them
registered or get them into any programme
that’s in their area that they can benefit from.
After recognising and getting them into these
programmes, they need to facilitate their
development. So whatever it will take for their
child to develop and maximise their potential,
the parents should be willing to go out 150 per
cent to allow that to happen,” she said.
She further highlighted that in developed
countries, parents are the drivers of change
as it pertains to matters of disability. However,
in Jamaica, parents are more passive. For
some, out of shame, they do not want their
neighbour or other community members to
know that they have a child with a disability,
so they keep quiet.
“[Parents should] speak up and speak out to
make sure that their child gets the best of what

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