Is disability a curse?

In some communities in Uganda disability is considered to be a curse. It is believed that mothers have brought a curse into their family. It is not the disability that handicaps  people with disabilities (PWDs). PWDs are vulnerable to the attitudes of people. 

When disability is considered a curse disabled children and adults are hidden away because they bring shame upon the family. Physical disability is often thought to indicate some kind of mental handicap. 

Consider how this family was affected by the attitudes of people around them.

...my wife gave birth to two ‘normal’ baby girls, but then she gave me a ‘kasiru’ (a deaf child, literally translated as ‘stupid’) as the fourth born. The whole family thought I was a cursed, poor man. They would throw insults towards me and my wife. I became so disillusioned and thought of how our marriage could come to this. Living with a Curse

This boy, who is now supporting a family was affected by his father's attitude. 

...one day when I was fourteen my father's boss come unexpectedly to the house and saw me crawling on the floor. "What is this?" Ha asked my father. Reluctantly my father had to admit that I was his son. "What are you doing to help him?" Insisted the boss. That saved my life. I was taken to hospital where it turned out that all I needed was some practice and a simple brace to walk. That's all I needed to be like others but until I was fourteen I was kept segregated at home. crawling on the floor. Box 2.3 I used to crawl

These stories are not isolated. Disabled people suffer stigmatization and are often taunted and ridiculed.

...if a blind person goes for a HIV/AIDS test, instead of helping that person, the health workers instead ridicule that person and ask them `even you with your blindness, how could you get someone to give you HIV/AIDS?’ this discourages us from testing and so most of us don’t know our HIV/AIDS status. Experience of healthcare in Uganda

Some PWDs are able to overcome these obstacles and go on to lead useful and productive lives contributing to the Ugandan economy. Disabled people in Uganda shouldn't have to overcome these kinds of obstacles. With proper implementation of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities Uganda can become a country with its PWDs leading useful and productive lives.

A summary of article 8 of The United Nations Convention for Rights of the Disabled says: "Countries must raise awareness of the rights, capabilities and contributions of people with disabilities. Countries must challenge stereotypes and prejudices relating to people with disabilities through campaigning, education, media and awareness-raising programmes."

How many successful disabled people do you need to meet before you understand that disability is not a curse?