West Africa’s largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider, Phase3 Telecom, as part of its corporate social responsibility banner has announced its partnership with Star Children Development Initiative (SCDI) to raise awareness and promote digitally enhanced and good quality of life for children with disabilities.

This the firm, shared with the public at the unveiling of its yuletide season program line-up in Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer – Stanley Jegede highlighted the great challenges faced by children with physical or intellectual disabilities and indeed their immediate families.

He maintained that these gifted children are gravely marginalised the world over and in Nigeria, perhaps three times more.

This is unacceptable as they have the right to respect, dignity and good standard of living as every human should.

He also said “no matter the severity of their impairment or disability; it must be ensured that children and of course all persons with disabilities are able to meaningfully participate in all aspects of their lives from social, economic to political.

The prejudice against these children and persons must be totally eradicated and we all must collectively ensure their social and digital inclusion. A clear indication of such discrimination in the area of digital inclusion is the fact that despite the extraordinary growth in mobile and internet use worldwide, very little has been done to ascertain that persons with physical and intellectual disabilities are included in the technology