Have you ever wondered what it’ll feel like if you went to a popular store to get something you needed urgently, only for you to be stuck at the door or carpark and not be able to go in; then having to rely on kind strangers to help you get something you could’ve gotten yourself without all the hassle? Seems annoying right? Well yes, that’s how a wheelchair user feels whenever they get to a building or space that isn’t wheelchair accessible.
When I joined local guides, I started out writing location reviews, adding photos and places etc. I wrote a couple of reviews and quickly discovered I didn’t really enjoy writing reviews as much as I enjoyed answering accessibility questions. I particularly enjoy answering questions about wheelchair accessibility of places I’ve been.
Being a Physical Therapist, I’ve worked with several wheelchair users who have found re-integration into the community after their trauma a daunting task due to the fact that the community is not particularly suited to wheelchair use. I therefore understand the dire need of information concerning accessibility and I’m only too glad to be of help in providing it.
Until recently, in Nigeria disability was not catered for by law so most buildings and spaces are not optimized for access by wheelchair users. Most public buildings and recreational spaces are built without consideration for accessibility by wheelchair users and trying to access them using a wheelchair is a serious challenge. They end up needing external help which reduces their level of independence and subsequently alters their Quality of Life (QoL) negatively.
Local Guides has helped me contribute more to helping out this population. I began to pay more attention in places I visit in a bid to spot accessibility options to be able to provide more information to individuals using a wheelchair who might have need of visiting the place and would like to know if they’ll have difficulties there or not.