Le témoignage bouleversant d'Aïssatou Diallo Camara, mère de deux enfants autistes
Faced with what it considers insufficient support and an education system that still struggles to include diversity, the Senegal Autism Platform (PAS) is taking action. Its president, Aïssatou Diallo Camara, herself the mother of autistic children, is calling for urgent national coordination so that autism is no longer a solitary and exhausting battle for families.
In Senegal, autism is a growing reality, but institutional responses are slow to follow. It is from this bitter observation that PAS was born.
Comprising nine associations today, this structure has set itself the mission of uniting energies. For Ms. Camara, unity is not only a strength, it is a strategic necessity: "It would be more judicious to coordinate the efforts of the different stakeholders so that concrete actions are taken by the authorities," she suggests.
The PAS (Parents' Action Society) does not intend to be merely an advocacy body, but a genuine lever for the development of public policy. According to its president, parental involvement, while vital, reaches its limits if it is not supported by a comprehensive government vision. "Several private initiatives are undertaken by parents, but the problem remains. We must work more closely with the government," she insists.
The challenge is also cultural: to transform the perception of autism. It is not an illness, but a form of neurodiversity. "It is a condition that can improve with good care, but it does not disappear," reminds Ms. Camara, emphasizing total inclusion, from the doctor's office to the classroom.
The platform's role is particularly crucial in the field of education. While Senegalese law advocates for schooling for all, autistic children too often remain the forgotten members of the system. Ms. Camara denounces this two-tiered system of inclusion: "So-called inclusive education only addresses a limited number of disabilities, notably visual, motor, and hearing impairments. Other conditions are left behind by the traditional school system," she laments.
For PAS, school is at the heart of the support strategy. Without suitable infrastructure and trained staff, the right to education remains a mirage for thousands of children.
The Platform now offers a long-term framework for dialogue with the authorities, based on reliable data. "The State has no visibility on the level of the condition. We, parents of autistic children, want more consideration from public institutions," demands the president.
The priorities of the PAS are clear: to establish a comprehensive census of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), to strengthen the partnership with local actors (doctors, teachers, Badienou Gox) and to create vocational training opportunities for autistic adults, who are too often made invisible.
In conclusion, Ms. Camara reminds us that this fight is a national one: “Accepting diversity enriches us all. Today and every day, let us reaffirm our shared humanity and renew our commitment to a more inclusive world.”
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