How has the knowledge you have gained through the local Guides program, especially the knowledge of accessibility 
helped you to break the bias of social stigmatization and look out for people living with disabilities while contributing to Maps?
I have had the opportunity of visiting several cities and communities withing them because I.love adventures!
Today, I want to open your eyes to something unique, you may find it scary, you may find it dreary, so, I advise; if your heart can’t take some shock, please stop reading from here.
I want to talk about a certain culture, the culture of social stigymatization…
Hmmm.
The culture of how we treat people living with disabilities.
I will begin with a background…
Today, I travelled out of Lagos. On our way out, we were caught up in some traffic gridlock, of course, that is not unusual in or with Lagos, however, the unique thing about Lagos Traffic is many things happen in that traffic congestion;
- Robbery activities, you could get your screen smashed and robbed at gunpoint
- Accidents; an impatient driver may ram into you
- Several people come to make sales; some come to sell paintings and other forms of art, street hawkers come with wares ranging from Snacks to water, to car accessories, to fruits, to air fresheners, to shoes, there is almost nothing you will not find in Lagos traffic. In short, Lagos trafic is almost like a bazaar hub but that’s a topic for another day. If it is the busy areas or commercial areas, you may even find the social workers there
- Finally, the group that interests me, you find people
beggingseeking alms in Lagos traffic! All kinds of people, those who claim they just lost a loved one, those who claim to be looking for money for surgery for a loved one, those who claim they need to go for surgery, those who claim they have a certain disease or another, the list is endless. FINALLY, those with a physical disability you can see and those who claim they have a physical disability they convince you to believe they are dealing with e.g. blindness, hearing or speech impediment, etc.
Hmmm… at this point, some of you are probably hissing and saying; “Oh, we have that all over the world”, however, in Nigeria, those living with Physical disabilities are treated with disdain by the society at large for several reasons;
- Once upon a time, some journalist uncovered a ‘begger’ who had built a very big house and had several wives, he had scooped off the largesse he made off of the benevolence of others to build for himself a life of affluence which even some of his benefactors could not boast of. So many people see many of these people as wanting to take undue advantage of them while they were building some ‘imaginary mansion’ somewhere
- A crippled man was once discovered to be a drug peddler, he peddles it right beneath his seating aid
- Some people have been charmed ( we say_; jazzed) such that; the moment you hand them the money, many have claimed they lost a body organ spiritually, 'things_ went South’ for them, etc. So, some avoid them in order not to fall victim
- Some have lost some body parts due to a form of accident or mob action. Some have being amputated, had their eyes gouged out, etc.
- Those with some form of neurological disorders or who are mentally challenged
- Finally, you have the group of people who just want food to eat
Hmmm…
My mindset before joining the Local Guides Program
Before, I joined or became aware I was a Local Guide in 2020, I saw people living with these disabilities and I really wanted to help them, in reality, I pitied them, I could not imagine living without any of my body part for even one day, I handed alms and went as far as, going to distribute food to them on Valentine’s day.
When the news started spreading like wild fire that some of these people had become diabolical, hmmm, I would pray and only hand out alms to people 'my heart touched or whom I was moved’ to give. I would pray for divine protection too.
A friend shared his story and it hit home on how he … (will not share this story here), but that story made me finally belirve that these diabolical things happen, so, I reduced my handing out of alms by a great percentage!
How my mindset changed after joining the Local Guides Program
In 2020, I joined the Local Guides program and I wondered 
;
what is the big deal about Accessibility?!
Many of us here can walk, we can see, we can hear, we can speak, many of us, so, why are we so bothered about that cadre? But, I began to learn and from 'pitying people living with Physical Disabilities, my mindset began to change;
I began to see people living with Physical disabilities as;
- Victors and not victims
- Survivors
- Most importantly, as humans like me, who are capable of doing everything if only we afforded them that chance and provided the right opportunities
- People who do not ‘need help’ as long as we put in place the right infrastructure, they can help themselves!
I went From pitying them to showing compassion, if I am approached in traffic and decide not to hand out alms, I offer a smile and a compliment, if they wave at me, I wave right back!
I had an unusual experience today
Beht, my eye see wetin e never see before for Ajao estate, 2 aboki wey dey on top wheelchair dey dere for inside traffic dey sell water o, na so dem dey call (Ruwa sanyi) 
shuu! For this same Lagos wey we dey? Wey people like free money? 
my eye done see wetin big wey my mouth no fit talk today for inside Lagos!
Today, in traffic congestion, in Lagos, I saw two men on wheelchair selling cold water , one of them; an amputee and the other who I did not get to take a good look at wow
They were sweating, dripping all over, yet they balanced the basket of water on their thighs and held up a bottle with one of their hands as they called out to us to buy. I was impressed and I bought from them. They were there not to beg for alms but to render a service, to make sales and get paid
I hope this culture of shaming these people will gradually reduce especially in Nigeria and we get to see them as humans and patronize their wares.
This brings me to the question;
“What is the culture like in your community?”
Can you relate with any of the things I have shared?
For obvious reasons, I cannot share their pictures, so, please make do with these pictures;
you got me at “that is quite unfortunate in 2022”