I Rise 2022

By Dr. Armoogum Parsuramen

GRF is a humanitarian service-oriented organisation whose pillars stand in love, compassion, understanding, tolerance and selfless service to humanity in its advocacy for the inclusive approaches of Persons with Disabilities. It militates for the human rights and inclusion of the PWDs.

I Rise captures the essence of Global Rainbow Foundation in its tireless, humane and humble march towards inclusivity of the Persons with Disabilities. In this life book, the narrators express their challenges with mixed emotions. They inspire in how their disabilities turned into blessings. They, not only overcome their limitations, rather defy and turn them into their strengths.

Each story is unique in its context to overcome particular disabilities. This compilation is the voice of Persons with Disabilities who are now equipped to face life and their challenges. Each narrator is a winner and defeats his and her disabilities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: Feb 25, 2023
• ISBN: 6580561609526

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I Rise 2022

Author:

Dr. Armoogum Parsuramen

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Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

ARSHIL Multiple deformities

BRANDON First Jaipur Foot Beneficiary

FABRICE Physical impairment

EZEKIEL Cerebral Palsy & Scoliosis

AJMIR Right side disability

JONATHAN RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA

AKSHAY Bilateral amputation

ANNE-LISE Polyhandicap

YOGEESH Muscular Dystrophy

LOIS Visually Impaired

MALINI Cerebral Palsy

MICHEL Born paraplegic, a 6th month born baby

NAMRATA Vitiligo

DANILO Paraplegic

RAJESH Amputate- every cloud has a silver lining

RACHEL Juvenile diabetes

REYVA Haemophilia and FX deficiency

ROBERT Paraplegic

RYAN Motor impairment

SOOBAOTEE An amputation avoided despite a chronic wound disease

UBAID Left arm amputee

VERONIQUE Cerebral Palsy

Employers have recognized for some time that it’s smart

business to have a diverse workforce – one in which many

views are represented and everyone’s talents are valued.

Well, disability is part of diversity.

Thomas Perez

See Me: and my ability!

I can’t walk a distance, but my buggy takes me far

I can’t lift heavy things, but help comes with those with a car

Sometimes the pain I am in makes me yelp

But then with medication that does rather help

However, I can still be Great Nan, Nanny, and Mum to all my brood

I can smile and inspire all my friends and get into the grove!

I may not be able to do some things, but I am able to do most

I can organise, I can internet and Zoom, I can be a host

So, don’t tell me I cannot do the things you can do

Maybe not – but I can do some things you cannot do

My best thing of all, I have found with my ability

Is not to make a big thing out of my dis-ability!

I just ask that you ‘see’ me in the buggy or wheelchair

Not talk to the person near me who is there

I am a person who wants to relate

So, I just want you take stock instead of me having to wait

I don’t want a piteous look I just want you to care

I am just a person like you – in a wheelchair!

- Poem submitted by Pam George

Foreword

Do not let the best of what you have done so far be the standard for the rest of your life

Time flies! I still recall my collaboration with Global Rainbow Foundation last year, being initially involved with the editing of articles for I Rise 2021, and then afterwards assigned the task as Editor- in-chief of the book.

Already one year gone, sadly marked in the meantime by the Covid 19 Pandemic, which fortunately has not affected my I Rise team’s determination to come up with this present 2022 edition.

Allow me first to say Thank You to every single reader of the previous edition who have expressed their satisfactory opinion about the book. We are so proud at GRF that we have been able to bring this book into the privacy of your home.

I have had personally the privilege to introduce I Rise 2021 on various platforms of popular radio stations like TOP FM and Radio One. Additionally, I have mentioned about I Rise 2021 on several occasions during the broadcast of A Coeur Ouvert, our Monday weekly live on GRF Web TV. I am confident that more people are now aware about the different passionate live stories of persons living with disabilities, and hence will show more compassion towards them.

Coming back to I Rise 2022, which also marks the 11th anniversary of GRF. I must confess that without the collaboration of my team, nothing would have been possible.

I have here in mind, our secretary of the editing team, Pooja H Sookun who till the last minute has kept her smile despite all the constraints regarding deadlines for submission of articles.

Ameenah Dhookit, our multi tasker who though being from France, carried several interviews in French language and later translated the articles in English herself, which were afterwards submitted to the editing team for correction.

Also, Neha Ramkhelawan who has recently joined us but who has contributed enormously to transcript a certain number of interviews.

I wish to thank Dylan Caulleechurn, Prithvi Bissessur and Afzal Emamdee for the wonderful jobs which they have undertaken as photographers for I Rise 2022. Also, not to forget Mr Gunashekaran Chandraganthy, also known as Gandhi, who moved the team around the island.

I also wish to say thank you to Marie Laine Philippe and J.C. Leslie Bazerque, our collaborators from Rodrigues who carried the interviews of the PWDs of their island.

This present edition of I Rise slightly differs from the two previous books, in the sense that we have scrupulously balance every story in terms of word counts and also originality. Two amongst the related stories pay tribute to teenagers who have sadly left us for heavenly abode, Anne Lise and Yogeesh. Their parents are now very close friends of the GRF big family.

Besides Mauritius, we also had interviewees from Belgium, Seychelles, Rodrigues and South Africa amongst our 22 actors of the book.

One big word of thanks goes to Prof. Armoogum Parsuramen who has put his entire confidence into myself and my collaborators.

My team and myself have sometimes spent several hours on articles because we wanted each reader to appreciate the deep feeling behind every narrator.

I do hope that the readers will enjoy once more the powerful and vivid story of each of the 22 actors of I Rise 2022.

Encourage your friends and relatives to have a copy of I Rise 2022 on their table, it will be a contribution to GRF battle for persons living with disabilities.

RAMA ERSAPAH

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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