Connecting Disability to… cultural curiosity (and hygiene!)

This conversation is a vivid example of all the ways disability can bring unexpected opportunities and experiences to our lives. David Achuroa, who is from northern Ghana, contracted polio when he was two. That eventually led him to a rehabilitation centre, which then led to him beginning school. David earned a science degree in community nutrition before moving to Canada to study anthropology at the University of Calgary. He currently lives in Edmonton. In this conversation, we talk about different cultural understandings of disability, and how being asked, “What happened to you?” can be a good thing. And, as we approach two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we reflect on disability accessibility and handwashing. David really challenged the way I think about interactions with strangers, and I hope you learn something form this conversation, too. David Akanpentiba Achuroa, a disability advocate, nutritionist, social anthropologist, and policy analyst, undertakes research that increases our knowledge in social and cultural issues that impact the lives and well-being of people with disabilities. Projects he currently works on empowers people with disabilities in Africa, the UK and Canada. He sits on the management committee of Disability in Wales and Africa in the UK and volunteers with Alberta Disability Pride Foundation and Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council. His graduate thesis explored the web of cultural practices and systems that influence parental understanding and caring of children with disabilities among the Bulsa in Northern Ghana.