Anyone who wants to participate in society must be able to get anywhere. In shops, at the bank, in government buildings and even in the sea. Only if spaces and buildings are just as accessible for someone with a disability as for everyone else can this person function in an equivalent way. And that is exactly what MiVaBo is fighting for.
To make people aware of the fact that there are disabled people, and that these people should be able to live their own lives as pleasantly as possible, MiVaBo has initiated the bumper sticker campaign “Bonaire 100% AssessAble”. The intention is that as many cars as possible on Bonaire will drive around with the stickers, so that every driver who drives these cars is confronted with it.
Hundreds of people
The promoter is Michael Gaynor, member of the board of MiVaBo. ,, I call it very hard every day, to all the people I meet, in my store or somewhere else: take each other into account. There are hundreds of people with disabilities on Bonaire. Maybe more. And they have just as much right to a normal life as everyone else. ”
How would you feel if you were in a wheelchair and you couldn’t even get through the Kaya Grandi properly? If it’s your grandmother’s birthday, and you want to give her a present, then you should ask your neighbor to buy something because you can’t do it yourself. Because the street in front of the store is a mess, because the store has a high step, or because boxes are piled up everywhere next to the racks in the store so that you can’t possibly get in between. Frustrating. That is it.”
And so Michael had 10,000 bumper stickers printed with the text “Bonaire 100% AccessAble”. Michael: ,, AccessAble with an a instead of an i yes, well seen. That is not a mistake, that is a pun. We want to have the opportunity to gain access. Being able to get access. That’s what it’s all about. “” But yes, 10,000 stickers on Bonaire? “I don’t care where they stay, as long as they attract attention,” is the only thing Michael says on that.
And that 100% accessibility. Is that feasible? “No,” Michael says firmly. ,, But we aim for the best possible result, that is what we want to say. Every disabled person has a different limitation. What is good for one does not work for the other. We have to make do with that. ”
Quality mark
MiVaBo not only calls for the facilities on Bonaire to be more accessible. The foundation itself also actively contributes to this. Among other things by examining all possible places on Bonaire for accessibility. Which public building or which public place meets the requirements receives a MiVaBo quality mark. Owners or managers ”of buildings, companies or institutions can indicate themselves via this website whether, or to what extent, their establishment is accessible. MiVaBo checks this information on a random basis. See Where can I come and where not?
Of course, the foundation also advises when adjustments are made for better accessibility to a building or public place. MiVaBo also advises policy makers and politicians who are working on, for example, new legislation in the field of equality, where disabled people are one of the focus groups.