DISABLED? NOT ME!
“I know people are trying help, but I wish they wouldn’t treat me as if I were a child.” Zhong Xiaowen is sixteen and a middle school student in Northern China. She is one of the best students in her class and she won an award for young scientists last year, Sitting in the classroom, Xiaowen looks just like all her classmates. But when class is over and her classmates get up to move around, it becomes obvious that Xiaowen’s life is different, Xiaowen was born without the ability to use her legs and she has no feeling below the waist. She uses a wheelchair to get around and it often takes her a little longer to do everyday things, such as getting out of bed, getting out bed, getting dressed and going to class.
Xiaowen’s favourite subject is computer science. She has already created many programmes and one of them received an award at her province’s science fair. People like Xiaowen and many other disabled people in country have taught us the importance of giving everybody a chance to receive education. We know that we cannot let physical disabilities limit a person’s life. Today there are more opportunities for disabled people to develop to develop their potential, live a rich life and make a contribution to society.
The best way to help is often simply a matter of opening doors and offering guidance. The Beijing Union University has launched a special education college where gifted disabled students receive the help they need to succeed. One-third of the students are blind and the rest are deaf or have no disability. For the students without disabilites, studying together with their disabled classmates is both challenging and rewarding. They not only learn how to assist disabled people, but also learn the importance of cooperating to reach their goals in life. One of the teachers at the special education college says that their aim is to help disabled students understand that they can play a valuable role within society. “ They need recognition, more than sympathy and help.”
Like all of us, disabled people also need inspiration and encouragement. The magazine Literature of Chinese Blind Children was started by Xu Bailun in 1985, when he decided that there should be a magazine for blind people in China. Blind children all over China read the magazine and it has inspired many of them to believe that they can realize their dreams. The articles in the magazine are often about disabled people who have overcome difficulties and learn to live a meaningful and productive life.
About one-third of the articles in Literature of Chinese Blind Children are written by disabled authors and blind children. One of the magazine’s best-known readers is Ye Zijie, who is now a teacher in Huhhot. In the year 2000, he was invited to study in London and became the first visually impaired Chinese to study abroad. Zijie says he was inspired and motivated by the magazine: “It is very important for us to know that someone far away is also struggling as we are.”
Living with disability is frustrating and challenging. Everyday activities are more difficult than they are for others. It is also often disappointing to find that other people do not feel comfortable together with someone who is disabled. Perhaps we should all listen to live with my body as it is and adjusted my way of life. Maybe it is time for the rest of society to accept me as I am and get used to the fact that while I may not be able to walk, there are many other great things I can do.” |