Oworonshoki Autism Awareness and Inclusion Walk

In the spirit of the new year and solidarity, community dwellers from various parts of Lagos State, Nigeria marched forth to explain to fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, and various neighbouring community of the meaning of Autism spectrum disorders in Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Pidgin and English Languages respectively - communicating and explaining to them in details the symptoms and management. 

It was engaging, highly educative and the results measured was positive to influence the stakeholders of the community! 

As a community, it is our responsibility to support the mental and physical interests of children living with Autism spectrum disorder,  help them connect with others who have autism, teach them how to defend against sensory stimuli, embrace their coping mechanism and lastly educate them of their state of mind! .

That's why , the  Initiative for National Growth Africa  and The Autism Awareness Place   put up this laudable community project to help correct the wrong and improve the neurological and physical stability of children living with autism spectrum disorder along side their parents, caregivers and families through the power of our voice. 

A whole lot of people do not understand this disability because the child looks physically okay but there is a great damage to the child’s brain and as such we raised awareness in Oworonshoki community to over 1000 rural dweller in this community, to eradicate stigmatization and marginalization of children living with disability.

Though there has been some form of awareness in the urban area, Oworonshoki been a rural community still suffer from the myth that children living with disabilities are punishment from gods, and they should be killed or isolated from the society, we therefore want to change this perception and orientation with this awareness walk because we know that awareness brings acceptance.

The aim and objectives for the The Autism Awareness Walk Project at Oworoshoki Community in Lagos State, Nigeria is to reach out to parents and guardians whose children encounter mental disability in providing support for them and their children living with autism through our “parents/caregivers support system”.