Challenges And Opportunities Of Persons Withvisualimpairment: Thecase Of Sebeta City Administration, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, people living with disabilities in general and visually impaired in particular have worse living conditions in many ways, than people living without disability. The primary aim of this study was to asses Challenges and Opportunities of Persons with visual impairment in Sebeta City administration, Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfinne. The study is based on primary data collected from 34 participants including heads of some selected offices including Sebeta special for the blind school selected,Interview, FGD and field observation to get insight about life history and the way of life of PWVI The findingsindicated that the major opportunities for persons with visual impairments were presence of policy, and sebeta Special for the blind school enable the communities to take part in affirmative action , getting government attention and peoples’ attitudes toward persons with visual impairments were showing progress whereas, the major challenges of persons with visual impairments were identified constraint, problem of shelter, environmental like accessibility, health problem, unemployment, inadequate support for person with VI, scarcity of teaching materials, lack of acceptance in leadership and political participation, exclusions from social relations and activities, were some of the challenges observed. From this, it can be concluded that persons with visual impairments were lowly perceived; faced with economic, social and political challenges with inadequate opportunities and support. Raising awareness of community and public at large through social Organizations and Medias to alleviate stigmatization and Discrimination toward person with VI is recommended.