I’m not too familiar with what social services (if any) are available in Pakistan for disabled/mentally retarded people. First of all, can anybody tell me if there are any care facilities for such people? Are they open to the everybody or only those who can pay? Also, in general, how are they treated by those around them (excluding family)? Are they encouraged to go to school like they are here?
I understand that it’s the responsibility of the immediate family to look after loved ones who are somehow disabled. I’m just curious to know if there are any provisions set up to protect these people from being taken advantage of and from being treated badly, be it by their immediate family or by the rest of society.
My family have several poeple suffering from mental disorders, and to date I for one have been treated well :halo:
Seriously though, there doesnt seem to be a “good” legit etc help available. I wasn’t kidding about the former, the responsibility of care is entirely upon the immediate family, even if the person in question is dangerous.
Disabled people in Pakistan are treated kindly by most people (but ofcourse not as good as we treat disabled people here - reason is illiteracy). My dad’s friend had a mentally disabled son and I remember everyone treating him like a normal person and being very kind to him. As far as I know, there are a number of schools for mentally/physically disabled kids in Karachi but most of them aren’t free. The guy I mentioned went to one of these schools(his family wasn’t rich at all so I suppose the school was affordable?).
I don’t know about all but some organizations that are working for disabled in Pakistan are Edhi, Centre for mentally retarded & physically disabled, Lutfi Foundation. There is still lack of help to these kind of people back home because there aren’t enough funds provided by the Gov’t & others.
i have a few mentally disabled people in my family backhome.. and some who are physically disabled.
I feel bad in admitting this, but I truely think that the mentally disabled members of my khandan dont get treated very well at all. Infact, I think if they were taken care of when younger.. instead of being teased and told that they werent well, I believe they may have been leading “normal” lives right now..
the problem is, as my dad told me, back in those days.. in like the 60’s 70’s, people generally didnt knwo how to deal with slight abnormality.. if someone acted funny, they were considered “pagal” and they were told continously that they werent like the rest, and hence turned them more “abnormal” frmo what they were to begin with..
on the other hand, I think my phsically disabled members of the family have been treated far greater than the mentally disabled..
but yes, I think its mostly the responsibility of the immediate family to take care of them… even though i think they should be the first ones to be blamed for causing them to be in such a state in the first place…
Sadzzz, I also have some distant and close relatives who suffer some form of disability which is why I created this thread. It is the responsibility of the immediate family, but there is no real protection from the outside world.
hmm u know what, I actually think the outside world does treat them ok. I know cus my chacha is disabled and everyone in his lil neighbourhood treats him so well, Mashallah... i mean hes nearly 50 now and he's spent his entire life there so people know him... but even then, people respect him and treat him well
its a different story when you visit his home though.. sadly..
I have a cousin who is mentally challenged and my taya n tayi tried putting them in a school especially for handicapped children but she wasnt treated well, and soon after she was placed in another school with the same result as the first one, they took her out. They cannot seem to find any organization that is genuine in helping her out. She comes out more traumatized n frustrated before. And in organizations for children who r handicapped, teachers should have patience but instead its the other way around.
^ i agree devil... the people dont know how to help these kids.. I remembed there was a thread a few months back saying there was some organisation who helped such kids.. but im not 100% sure..
Its the whole system there thats really bad. How about checking the sites CA put up? my relos are a bit too old now to go to such schools... but maybe ur cousin can be helped, Inshallah
