Mother advocates for children with disabilities in marketing
Sonia Shainaaz aims to create employment and break stereotypes through a new NGO.
Sunday 05 October 2025 | 23:00
Sonia Shainaaz, with her 10-year-old daughter Aarna Sen.
Photo: Supplied
A Suva mother is challenging traditional beauty and marketing standards by advocating for children with disabilities to feature in advertisements and billboards.
With that in mind, she is working hard to establish a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that will create employment opportunities for them.
Sonia Shainaaz, 30, mother of 10-year-old Aarna Sen, who has cerebral palsy, said the primary goal of her planned organisation was to break the stereotype of perfection in marketing.
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“The most important thing I want to do is create employment for these children,” Ms Shainaaz said.
“They can participate in marketing, like appearing on billboards and promoting products.
“Currently, we only choose the so-called perfect to be in marketing. Even hibiscus queens must be perfect. We have created this unrealistic standard.”
An IT and management graduate who runs Fiji Flower Shop, Ms Shainaaz said children like her daughter could raise awareness while earning income.
“If they start earning even a little, parents will be motivated to invest in their children,” she said.
“For typical children, parents invest in education because they expect returns. But children like Aarna are often neglected because there seems to be no return.”
Aarna sustained brain damage during birth due to an oxygen shortage, leaving her unable to talk, walk, eat independently, or control her muscles.
After her divorce two years ago, Ms Shainaaz started sharing their journey on social media, with videos reaching 400,000 viewers on ‘Facebook’ and 260,000 on TikTok.
“Through my journey, I inspire parents to integrate their children into the community,” she said.
“People will see them, accept them, and gradually employment opportunities will arise.”
Ms Shainaaz is now registering her NGO, which will provide wheelchairs, diapers, and protein supplements, while also connecting parents with overseas donors.
“Some children have never seen sunlight,” she said.
“They spend their lives confined to a room, their diapers changed, fed, and then returned to their space,” she said.
“We want to change that and give them visibility, inclusion, and opportunities.”
Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj
