How many people do you know have Down syndrome? Maybe just a handful? Or maybe you’ve seen families in public with one member who’s got it.

Down syndrome is tough to live with, but those who have it don’t let it stop them. But some of them might still need a helping hand, like this little girl here.

This 11-year-old from Macedonia is one of many people born with Down Syndrome.

Because of her condition, the people at school aren’t very kind to her.

Her name is Embla, and like every child, she should be allowed to attend school comfortably. But because Embla was a born a bit different, people have made things hard for her.

She became the target of repetitive bullying from the other children.

We know how mean kids in school can be. It’s even worse when you have a genetic condition like Embla’s.

And being picked on by the kids would be bad enough, but Embla had to endure much worse than that.

The parents of those other kids also took part in making fun of poor Embla.

Well, the apple never falls far from the tree. And those trees seem to only bear rotten apples.

Embla only had herself and her parents to count on. She had no say in the genes she got, and all she deserves is a normal life. The same can be said to other people with similar conditions.

As progressive as some societies can be, there’ll always be more than a few wicked people in any community.

With seemingly no one else at her side, things were looking pretty sad for Embla. That was until the most unexpected person stepped in.

None other than the country’s president.

Yes, that’s no joke. The president himself Stevo Pendarovski decided that Embla needed someone with power and influence to help her. Who better than him?

The president sought out little Embla, and accompanied her to school. He made sure people saw them, so they’d get the message he was sending.

“Inclusiveness should not remain just a declarative principle. [We have to] use the potentials of people with atypical development. Prejudice should not be an obstacle in building an equal and just society for all. Empathy is our moral obligation.”

The images of him walking with Embla went viral. Exactly what they needed.

The world needed to see how kids like Embla should be treated: like any other kid.

Numerous people and pages shared the image. Now, everyone could see what the life of a child with down syndrome could look like.

Let’s hope the parents of those other kids were watching too.

Let’s not forget to give credit where it’s due. For President Stevo Pendarovski to take such an initiative, knowing how it’d affect the lives of every Macedonian with down syndrome, is no small deal. Sometimes, all it takes is to show, not tell.

See more about President Pendarovski and Embla in the sources below. Kindly share this article with more people too!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Inclusion Europe on Facebook, Stevo Pendarovski on Facebook