Laisenia shared how he overcame discrimination to become an advocate for people with disabilities.
Originally from Lakeba, with maternal links to Fulaga in Lau, Laisenia says he developed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis after an accident while in Class 6, leaving him unable to walk without assistance.
He says the condition affected his joints and forced him to spend two years in hospital before facing another challenge when he returned to school.
Laisenia says the hardest part was not living with a disability but dealing with the attitudes of others.
He says there was little awareness of disability at the time, and after experiencing discrimination and negative attitudes, he eventually left school.
But he refused to let that define him.
Laisenia later completed a Diploma in Information Technology and is now studying towards a Bachelor's degree while working with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities Fiji.
Drawing on his own experience, he says Fiji has made significant progress in recognising the rights of people with disabilities through new laws and policies, but more needs to be done to turn those commitments into real change.
Laisenia says disability is not the biggest barrier. Instead, he believes negative attitudes, inaccessible buildings, limited public transport and services that do not meet the needs of people with disabilities continue to prevent many people from reaching their full potential.
Insert:Laisenia on barriers
He is calling on the Government, schools and communities to improve awareness of disability rights from an early age and ensure children with disabilities are included in every part of society.
Laisenia says every child deserves the opportunity to learn, succeed and be treated with dignity, regardless of their disability.
