Written by Chay Bacani-Florencio
Lian Lek, a 32-year-old Myanmar national, contracted polio between the ages of 4 and 5 years old resulting in paralysis of both her legs and has since relied on other persons and assistive devices for mobility. When she learned of relatives living in Norway, she decided to continue her high school education there on a student visa, with the support of her parents and other migrant relatives. Her sister migrated with her and assisted with her needs.
Early Settlement Challenges
Lian Lek’s path to attaining permanent residency and later on citizenship was faster than average, given that it was initialised when she was still a high school student. However, her first years in Norway were not without challenges. She and her sister’s first accommodation required climbing stairs using crutches. The neighborhood was not as friendly as her usual scene in Myanmar. In her community, they kept to themselves. Getting around was also a struggle. Her transportation options were limited as she had no access to support services for persons with disabilities, available to citizens. When she had her medical examinations for immigration purposes, she sensed that she drew impatient reactions from other visa applicants who were behind her waiting in line. Nonetheless, she passed and now has citizenship.
Government Rights and Support Services and The Public View
Lian Lek’s opportunities afforded to her as a Norwegian citizen with disabilities motivated her to strive towards a professional career in the field of medicine. She is currently working as a lab technician, specifically in the biopsy section at a Norwegian hospital. However, at one point, she was publicly accused of obtaining citizenship just to take advantage of state-provided benefits. She responded that she has a job – implying that she is paying for her own living expenses. Her reaction silenced the accusers of their impression that migrant workers with disabilities were simply availing of citizenship rights to exploit state-run programmes.
From Informal Care to Personal Assistance
When asked what advice she wished to impart, Lian Lek recommends that drafting a detailed and comprehensive account of one’s needs and preferences as a person with a disability is necessary to gain the state-provided benefit of a personal assistant. While she takes pride in being self-reliant, this was a service she took up so that her sister – who devoted some of her years to be her personal assistant at her beck and call – may at long last live her own life.
And the Road to Independence Ends Abroad
Lian Lek decided to permanently stay in Norway, knowing that the current political atmosphere and the education system in Myanmar would limit her prospects of a fulfilling professional life in her chosen field. She has found a sense of belonging in various organisations she volunteers with, including one that provides educational assistance to Norwegians with disabilities. She is now also able to remit to Myanmar and take care of her mother’s needs.
Lian Lek’s story is reflective of the gaps in support services during the migration journey of migrant workers with disabilities. They do not have timely access to information on government-funded assistance, which could have allowed for a more dignified and productive life from the start. Formal provisions for bringing a personal assistant could have been made available even upon arrival, and not only once citizenship is obtained. Furthermore, public perception, which remains discriminatory, should be addressed at the community level, as awareness of the rights and protections that are afforded to persons with disabilities is necessary. These are not privileges that need to be earned, but rights to be upheld and enjoyed.
Images generated with assistance of OpenAI, images conceptualized and final edit by Ferdinand Paraan Jr.
Disability Migration Network (DMN) 