VICKY KIMARO

My names are Vicky Kimaro, I am a teacher residing in Sekei Arusha.

I was born in Hai district Kilimanjaro region. I did not have any disabilities until when I was four my lap nerves were damaged by an injection which was incorrectly injected by an internship doctor.

Thanks to my family who knew that there was something like rehabilitation for the disabled people, my brother took me to KCMC hospital when I was 13,where I was twice operated which kept me surviving for two good years before I started having some pains again on my left lap which forced me to walk with the artificial legs.

I have to admit that I count myself lucky to complete my primary education after staying the whole year at home without schooling.

As a normal child I had a dream when I was a kid wished to be a doctor but I could not be one because of my disabilities, I finally opted for being a teacher. I taught for some time and I had some difficulties caused by the pains in my bones, which gave me some more appealing thoughts. I took it as a challenge and decided to opt for accountancy and treasury courses and I did stage one and two, VETA in typing of which I succeeded very well.

After some time I got a chance to pursue a diploma course in secretary sponsored by Australian sponsors at the Salvation Army in Mbeya. When I finished I worked as secretary and a teacher also.

My wages were low and I could not bear begging from people for various helps and I had to scratch my head again to find something I could do apart from teaching and being a secretary, I later came up with an idea of tailoring and I started being a tailor by practicing it after work. I can’t lie but it raised my standards and with that I was able to buy my new appliance.

As I knew that being educated was the only way to help me out, I was obsessed with the computer knowledge and I gave it a shot too of which I am a successful diploma holder which makes me a technician sometime helping people with the computer problems.

I am very proud of who I am today because my biggest dream ever is fulfilled have always been dreaming of being independent in my life and thanks to God I am. I can absolutely depend on myself and also thank God that I can help others with all I can.

The saying goes that family always come first, God has given me a wonderful family I thank Him for that. It has been very supportive to me when I was sad and when I have been happy too, they are always there, and God bless them.

With all I have seen to here, I can recommend two to three things in our society;

first and foremost is that the society should change the way it treats us, it makes us not comfy in our own surroundings because we cannot even be involved in the decisions making in our society, for sure this has to change so that we can feel alive again.

Secondly, it goes directly to the government, I thank it for recognizing us to the extent of signing the UN treaty in 2009, what I am sort of demanding or requesting is to put it into actions the agreements of the treaty, taking heed of education for example; PWDs love to study but the government is not giving up enough for us.

The government does not give us enough chances since primary level, most of the time what it gives is the free chances to some of the university levels which is not the base. So it’s hard for PWDs like us to go for them because we do not have the base. Furthermore our government does not give us free health services, can you imagine a PWD making a queue with other normal people in a hospital without considering his or her disabilities, we really ask the government to help us put all in action.

Thirdly, it goes to the non-governmental organisations like ICD, all we are asking for them is to help us find sponsors who can help us with various stuffs. Am sure if we will be given enough help we can really stand on our own. Some of us have plans to have our own workshops but what we are all facing is the capital to move forward. So all what I am saying is they help us in this so that we can help other PWDs too.

I would like to thank you for coming, it gives us confidence seeing that normal people are interested with our problems, it really means a lot to me and us in general.

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SHUKURU KASSIM LINDUNGA

Shukuru Kassim Lindunga, 38 years, works at Wonder Welders, physical disability

My name is Shukuru Kassim  Lindunga. I was born 38 years ago and I am disabled (legs). My parents love me and have all along demonstrated an extra care in my upbringing as I am the only male child in the family. They enrolled me in Primary School where I performed very well by holding the top positions in the first three classes. This in essence made me not to be discriminated by my class mates and school colleagues. In 1993 I joined Yombo Rehabilitation centre in Dar es Salaam where I specialized in welding.

Looking for an employment is something which is so difficult for disabled people, they are very rarerly given an equal opportunity with other people. However, I got employed - but my income was too low for me to survive. I started working for Wonder Welders in 2006.

I am married with two children,  I enjoy my life and I do not feel discriminated. This is because I was born disabled and I live with my disability, therefore I do not feel the difference. My dream is to enhance my education as this is the only key to success.

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FREDRICK MSIGALLAH

FREDRICK MSIGALLAH, 43 years, Advocacy officer at CCBRT, physical disability

 My childhood life... Maybe I could start by explaining what I heard from my parents about the cause of my disability. It is actually the effect of polio and I got it at the age of five years. So I walked, I walked for about five years and then I was not able to walk any more. Of course, my parents did what they could to get treatment of the disease and they took me to several hospitals, but it couldn’t work. Then they had to accept, yes, we have a child with disability. And I thank for the way my parents have been looking after me, actually they gave me special attention because of my disability. For example, my daddy decided to make a trolley where they could put me in and he also looked for someone to push me so that I could move around. By then awareness on disability was very, very low, but I thank God that my daddy wasn’t like other people, saying: “This is a bad thing, you don’t need to waste your time in supporting such a child”. All my family members loved me and they still love me so much, so they provided me with all the support that they could, in terms of needs and education.

I was delayed to start my primary education for four years, because I didn’t have a reliable transport or assistive device, until when my dad was able to get a tricycle. He bought this tricycle from a father who was working in a certain Catholic mission. I was a bright student, to the point that my teacher, who was teaching both Grade 1 (in the afternoon) and Grade 2 (in the morning), advised me: “Can you come to all sessions?” So I did two classes, Grade 1 and Grade 2, in my first year and I finished my primary education in six years. And my parents were really very, very supportive. Of course there were some discouragements from other members of the community, they were even telling my dad: “You know, you need not waste your resources on this person. What is he going to do?”.

But my father said: “No, no, no, I know that this is what God has given me and if God has given it to me then there is a purpose to it. I need to give him all the opportunities as I am providing to my other children who are not disabled.”

I decided then that I want to go to the university to study. My daddy encouraged me and said: “For you, actually, education is very important. It is the only thing that is going to liberate you or is going to make you live independently.”

He told me: “You have your brothers and sisters, they are able people, if they don’t do well in academics I have shambas (land) they can till, so they can live their life. But in your case, you can’t do that, so the only thing you will depend on is education. So, make sure that you work hard and I will be there to support you.”

I joined the University of Dar es Salaam for my first degree on Education. The main challenge was the transport. When I came to the University, the environment was so harsh, not friendly. So many hills, so many steps. I needed someone to support me all the time. Now, who could be available? We were all students, rushing to cope with the studies, so it was a big challenge. We had discussions with the management to see if they could provide some motorised tricycles – and they agreed to provide them for all disabled students, so now I was able to move from my home place to the halls to the library. But again, with the steps you cannot go with your bajaji everywhere, the second floor of the library, no lift… I managed to overcome all these barriers  because I knew what I wanted to have is education. Whatever the situation was like, I made sure I achieved my goal of having a degree and that was my dream.

Most of my colleagues at the university were very open to me, there were only some who were not open. I was able to make friends. Also some of the lectureres were really very good and helpful. They kept on encouraging me to work hard and they told me I can make it and that I shouldn’t get despaired and that really helped me.

Getting a job was a big challenge. Maybe I can share a very interesting story with you on applying. I went to one of the offices here, in the city centre.

It was a Friday and when I entered the building I met a receptionist who asked me: “Oh, what are you doing here? Today is not the begging day!”

 I said: “I have an appoitment with your boss.”

She said: “An appointment for what? No, we are not providing money today!”

She went to ask her boss and I gave my name. That boss was also a graduate of UDSM and said: “Ah, with the way he is he was able to make the university”, so to her it was a real eye opener.

She came apologizing: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this, so you are welcome to see the boss.”

So the point I am trying to make is the negative attitude that people have towards us, that we are beggars, not educated… Finally I got a job, I started working with an NGO that promotes human rights. My first boss was very much impressed with the way I was able to cope with the environment and to perform my duties. I was very eager to make sure that whatever I was being assigned I accomplish it and to a standard that is required. So my boss liked me so much.

Then I went for my masters in International development, public policy and management, from the Manchester University in UK. UK is very different from Tanzania. Our colleagues there are very far ahead in terms of services being provided for persons with disabilities, in terms of schooling environment, etc. In the university they have a special unit that caters for the needs of students with a disability and I was so much impressed, because even before reporting they were already doing an assesment of what I need. They knew that I needed assistive devices for movement, they knew that I needed someone to help me with cooking, washing and cleaning, an accessible apartment – so everything was taken into account even before I arrived there. They made sure that I got a powered wheelchair, an accessible hall of residence, they paid for my assistant and even when it comes to timetabling – they made sure that the lecture halls were accessible. As long as there was a student with a disability attending, they made sure that the lecture hall was accessible, otherwise they would change the venue. Even access to transport within the city was very easy, I was able to go everywhere without assistance, I could get into the bus with my wheelchair with the help of a ramp, even in the trains I could travel independently. This could work even in Tanzania, it doesn’t even cost much – you need buses that are low and you need to install a ramp – it is a matter of political will.

Now my dream is to develop in my career and become a very skilled and competent leader, particularly in development organisations. I want to be a director or a manager, to be able to manage many people or projects… I am dreaming to be a very experienced and qualified executive director or manager.

I am really very happy because as for now I am the one who provides basic needs to my family and I am now supporting my younger brothers and sisters for their education. Actually now the villagers are going back to my father and saying: “We are sorry, we were wrong, you have done a great, great thing in supporting this guy to this level”. So my daddy sees me like oh, you are everything now, and I am proud of that, because I was dreaming of that – to be able to support not only my life but also the life of my family members and that’s what I am doing now. I am happy about my life and I feel proud to be part of those people fighting for the better life of people with disabilities and that is what I would like to see in the near future, that many people with disabilities have their rights.

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Tanzania Society for the Deaf (TSD) has got a new ED

Greetings from the Tanzania Society for the Deaf (TSD).

This is to bring to your attention and informed accordingly that the TSD has appointed Mr. Simeon C. Mwakatobe as Executive Director from 1st July, 2012 replacing Ms Matilda Ngonyani who has been retired. Mr. Simeon C. Mwakatobe he's a post lingual Deaf man. 

Mr Simeon C. Mwakatobe has been appointed after he won the vigorous process of application and  interview which was held on 14th, June, 2012. Mr. Simeon is very known much in the Disability sector in the Country, he's long experience and education in the field of organisation development and community development work, therefore hope fully will manage the TSD programmes.
 

TSD currently carry out the following programmes and activities.
1. Education for Deaf; Operated and own a Deaf & DeafBlind children school at Buguruni Malapa
2. Provide hearing aids to hearing impairment people
3. Vocational training to youths and Adults
5. Audiology examination to determine the hearing level for any person
6. Capacity building to Deaf people organisations
7. Influencing the organisation and the pright of Deaf people
8. Training in various disciplines
9. Meetings and conferences facilities to the general public

Our contact address;
Executive Director,
Tanzania Society for the Deaf, (TSD)
P.o. Box  4806, Dar Es Salaam - Tanzania
Email  bsdeaf@yahoo.com
Tel: +255 22 2864295
Mob: +255 715 071 934 (Sms & Text messages only)

Sincerely yours

N'nyapule Madai
TSD board Chairman.

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