My Personal Reflection

Through developing this blog I have learnt more about how the other half of the world lives, and this has made me incredibly heartbroken. It has stirred in me doubly more of a passion to reach out to the poor, to enable and promote equal rights for the disabled and to empower the helpless. It has taken me on a journey of self discovery and has afforded me with the opportunity to showcase the knowledge I have gained over the last three years of my Occupational therapy training. I have founded this blog on my experiences of working with the poor in Africa and through utilising the learning gained from papers, such as Humanities. 

I have gained much insight into the Disability-Poverty Cycle and how this impacts people’s lives on a daily basis. Additionally, I’ve become more aware of Occupational Injustice and how this impacts people’s lives across the Globe. Using my example of Human Trafficking, I learnt that many traffickers acquire their victims from developing countries and move them away from everything they know; however it is largely individuals from developed countries who fuel this disgusting trade of human lives. For poverty and injustice to be eliminated, the entire world must take part. 

It is not an easy road to travel, but we who are able MUST try to make a difference. As Occupational therapists we are taught many skills which can be useful in the fight against poverty and injustice. We believe that participation in occupation is the very core of health and well-being. This gives us a very unique view on humanity. 

So, what CAN WE DO? We have the opportunity to develop and teach communities skills that can lift them out of extreme poverty. We can promote participation in livelihood activities, such as fishing and farming, which will preserve health. We can work to empower women and disabled who are marginalised. We can play a role in enabling all children, including disabled children and those considered “at-risk”, to start and progress through school. We can assist in a variety of health promotional programmes assisting in HIV prevention and Nutrition. We can network to raise awareness of occupational perspectives and their contribution to lessening the burden of disease for individuals, groups or populations. There is MUCH we can learn from people in poverty, and I believe there is also much we can do as a profession to work with them to increase their quality of life. We need to embrace the value of occupation and to face the challenge of stepping outside the boundaries and limitations set by oneself and society.

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Although this blog gives a background on some of the core concepts involved in poverty and disability in third world countries, it is limited in providing resources to prepare Occupational therapists for working within poverty. 

Below are some interesting books and a blog which may be helpful;

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• Merrill, S. C. (1992). Preface. In S. C. Merrill (Ed.), Occupational therapy across cultural boundaries: Theory, practice and professional development (pp. 1-14). New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.  
• Kronenberg, F., Simo Algado, S. S., Pollard, N. (2005). Occupational therapy without borders: Learning from the spirit of survivors. United Kingdom: ELSEVIER Churchill Livingstone. 
• http://occupationaltherapistspreparingtoworkinpoverty.wordpress.com/about/

I hope you are inspired to make a difference in the lives of others, as I am. 

 Lisa.