The Yellow Epilepsy Week is on the 2nd week of February every year the organization vigorously raises epilepsy awareness and advocate for epilepsy at different and all levels. This week host a few of the organization’s events such as the International Epilepsy Day, Epilepsy in the Workplace, Epilepsy at School, Yellow Epilepsy Valentines Fundraising Dinners, and the Yellow Epilepsy Charity Half – Marathon.
International Epilepsy Day, a joint initiative by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), is a global event celebrated annually on the 2nd Monday of February, to promote awareness on epilepsy right around the world. With IBE and ILAE representation in more than 120 countries, this is a powerful opportunity to highlight the problems faced by people with epilepsy, their families and carers, in every region of the world. International Epilepsy Day is the opportunity for all stakeholders to join together and speak with one global voice. The objectives for International Epilepsy Day are:
The day also calls for all people to advocate for appropriate legislation that will guarantee human rights of people with epilepsy and encourages people with epilepsy to live to their fullest potential. Despite being one of the world's oldest known medical conditions, public fear and misunderstanding about epilepsy persists, making many people reluctant to talk about it. That reluctance leads to lives lived in the shadows, discrimination in workplaces and communities, and a lack of funding for new therapies research. For many people living with epilepsy, the misconceptions and discrimination can be more difficult to overcome than the seizures themselves.
EEO undertakes the Epilepsy at the Workplace Program, an exercise aimed at increasing epilepsy awareness in the different work places in the Kingdom of Eswatini especially in the private sector where a large number of people are concentrated. This program came about after seeing the raising number of people living with epilepsy losing their job once their managers find out they live with epilepsy.
This program is aimed to empower employers and employees on epilepsy issues at the same time preventing epilepsy related accidents in the work place, which may sometimes result to injuries and loss of property, as well as militating stigma and discrimination associated with epilepsy in the work place. This is exercise is supported by WHO resolution number 2 which stresses the importance of incorporating epilepsy knowledge in the work place paying special attention to human resources (HR’s) in companies.
“To introduce and implement where necessary and in accordance with international human rights norms and standards, national health care plans of action for epilepsy management, aiming to overcome inequalities and inequities in health, social and other related services, paying special attention to people living with epilepsy living in conditions of vulnerability, such as those living in poor and remote areas, including by strengthening public health care services, and training local human resources with proper techniques” – WHO Resolution 68.20 (2015)
The ability to engage in employment allows people to lead fulfilled and independent lives. Participation in the workplace not only creates financial independence and security, it promotes social inclusion, self-esteem and individual productivity. Unfortunately, getting into and staying in the workforce is not always easy and for people with epilepsy barriers continue to make it difficult to obtain, and hold on to a job.
Most employers are concerned however about employing people with epilepsy due to accidents that may occur whilst they work and their productivity capacity. This problem would be reduced if there was training in place to inform people about what to do if someone had a seizure at work. Which is the main reason Eswatini Epilepsy Organization would be privileged to raise awareness on this neurological disorder in the workplace. It has been noted in the recent past, that employers are guilty of dismissing employees afflicted by epilepsy and are as well reluctant to hire individuals afflicted by this brain disorder. This program is therefore aimed at enlightening employers that epilepsy is a brain disorder that can be controlled with necessary adjustments for epileptic employees in the workplace.
Wellness programs demonstrate to employees that their health is important and that their employers know and care about this aspect. We cannot escape the fact that employers are now expected to create safe work environments, improve employee health and implement strategies that reduce medical costs as well as increase employee morale and on the job efficiency. Many employers, however, still have challenges in accommodating people with epilepsy in the workplace. The central issues are lack of knowledge about the disorder and epilepsy’s perceived impact in the work- place. This ignorance and resulting misunderstanding produces unnecessary fear and anxiety among both employees with epilepsy and employers. Specific concerns regarding disclosure, accommodation, safety and liability then arise,
Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. This day is celebrated in various ways and is characterized by the presentation of gifts to mothers and mother figure. EEO saw a niche in the calendar days celebrated globally that can be used to raise awareness by creating its own mother’s day event “The Yellow Mother’s Day.”
The epilepsy yellow mother’s day is an event that was launched in 2013 as an epilepsy awareness and advocacy tool. The event’s major objective is to raise awareness about the challenges faced by parents who have children who are living with epilepsy and also those whom themselves are living with the condition. It is trite in our society that women are the more vulnerable of the two sexes and most social ills tend to be experienced by them on a first-hand basis. For example, in most situations it is the mother who has to resign all her assignments in order to care for a child living with epilepsy, hence the organization saw the need to host this event to honor of all mothers in the country and raise awareness about epilepsy and the family.
