CHAUSIKU RAMADHAN

Chausiku  Ramadhan  is 12 years old girl, lives in Mwembemkole street in Bagamoyo district within Coastal region, Tanzania. She is a deafblind from birth, born first among four children in the family. The name of the father is Ramadhani Mohamed(37)years, he is a fisherman and the name of mother is  Tukae Jumbe (36). The mother is a house wife but she has a food kiosk at the place she live rented two rooms.

Although there was a normal delivery but she was not able to open eyes. Her parents sent Chausiku to local medication and hospital during struggling for her vision and hearing abilities. Unfortunately, lucky was not on her side. According to her mother, the cause of Chausiku’s condition is unknown.

Chausiku,a congenitally deafblind in the Community Based Rehabilitation CBR programme under support of Sense International (T)  was among the 12 deaf blind children identified in Bagamoyo district  for the year 2011. The deafblind children are more at risk environment. When TRACED identified Chausiku at first she could not manage to walk, seat alone in a good posture, feed (eat) herself, and had a sleepless at nights.  That is she could not have a daily living  (ADL) skills. This was a big challenge to  Chausiku  Ramadhani.

In 2011,  Ms Batuli Seleman  as a Community  Based Rehabilitation (CBR) volunteer she was assigned for her rehabilitation with twice home visits in every week. The improvement is marked since home visits started by TRACED

Chausiku is now able to sleep at night because of keeping her tired during the day hours…’’remarks her mother with joy. Chausiku’s parents are seeing their role in establishing the child’s independence in the home environment for the day when the child is expected for schooling. Her mother alongside with TRACED- Community Based Rehabilitation  Worker (CBW) is now struggling to teach function skills (ADL) that would also be useful in the home and school environment under inclusive approach introduced by  FRORA Inclusive  Day Care Centre.

In order to ensure that Chausiku is being rehabilitation under the inclusive approach this early year the family was advice by TRACED  that the two brothers (who are twins) to be enrolled at FRORA Inclusive Day Care Centre.

Challenges which a facing Chausiku and her two brothers  to attend regularly at FRORA Inclusive Day Care Centre  

·         During rainy season it is not possible to attend because at present Chausiku and her two brother are being ferry by  two motorcycles provided by Erikshjalpen in 2011.

·         Stigmatization of some people  in Bagamoyo towards disabled children in the community, this is even worse to the case of Chausiku Ramadhan who is a deafblind Child. When there is no any family member  to accompany the team of Chausiku and her two twins brothers – Hussein and Hassan, that mean they will not attend to the centre.

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HERIETH SOSTENENCE

My names are Herieth Sostenence, am 14 years old, pupil at Mugeza primary school in Bukoba district.

It is a superstitious/witchcraft thing that happened to me on  3^rd day after birth.

My mother tried to take me to several hospitals without any success and doctors declared that I will not be able to see again. Nobody told me anything about my father and when I was 9 years old my mother who is a Rwandese went back to her home country and left me with my aunt.

 In 2009 my aunt took me to Mugeza Special School where I was enrolled in standard one. However  at my aunt’s life was very difficult her husband could not accept me and he was treating me like a slave, he could take me to the farm and give me all kind of hard work that were unreasonable considering my age and my condition as blind.

Due to all these maltreatments, my aunt decided to take me to the Tumaini Children Centre an orphanage under Lutheran Church which has been my guardian to date.

Despite being in school I still feel that life is not fair to me since I wish I could meet my mother and my brothers and sisters and I also feel bad because if not for blindness I could have been in secondary school by now.

My dream is to become a teacher.

I call upon the community not to look down on us since we did not ask to be born this way.

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OMARY RAMADHANI MSUMI

My names are Omary Ramadhani Msumi, I am 43 years old living in Dundani village Mkuranga district Coastal region.

I got impairment in 1991 when I was attacked by disease in God graces I lost my eyes. To be honest my life is not good together with my family we depend on agriculture for our daily bread.

I have been facing several life challenges including; transportation from one point to another, economic hardship is the barrier towards addressing some problems facing my family. Most of the time when I face challenges the only thing I do is to use my energy depending on the situation to deal with them. Due to our life situation we are working tirelessly to make sure we address challenges.

I have tried to pass in different administrative office from local to central government so as to get support, but I got nothing than disappointments.

I had several dreams in my life:  First was to build the mosque for community worship so as to get God graces in this life and the life after. Secondly, I wished to have a sustainable income to support my family by making them have a standard life. Those are my dreams and God knows what comes next if I will reach them or not.

I have not given up my dreams since I know God is there and will remain there, though I am in this condition but I still believe I can make it with God graces.

There are some challenges which are direct connected to domestic needs such as supporting my children education needs, also maintaining good health of my family by making sure they access health care and so forth. I am proud of my family because they love and care for me.

My suggestion to the government and the community at large is that, they have to find and expose us wherever we are. We have a lot to tell, we are talented, we can produce and be useful to our society only we need is support. We can be good animal keepers as well as business person.

This will make many PWDs not to give up their lives because most of them do give up because they don’t know where they are going. So I call for all stakeholders to search for PWDs and get their views and I appreciate your coming.

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REUBEN WILLIAM MOLELI

My names are REUBEN WILLIAM MOLELI  I am from Iliboru, I was born in 1967 previous I was doing construction work but nowadays I am no longer working. 

It was in 2007 when I was organizing materials for bricks processing, I climbed the tree so as to get some firewood, in a bad lack the tree got twisted and made me fall down. From that day I couldn’t stand with my feet again. I was admitted at the hospital for some time and later brought back home, from that moment I started working using crutches. I got a spinal code injury which leads my body to paralyze, I couldn’t move my legs or feel any pain at that moment. Doctors told me that this situation might take time for me to back in normal situation. I thank God at this moment I can move with crutches though I still feel pain.

Being in this situation I am experiencing lot of challenges, I can’t afford to support my children in their educations and other needs. I have five children both studying in different levels this makes them to depend only on their mother who have to provide everything; this is very difficult as you know education is very expensive. I feel pain to see my wife is the only one who is providing while I used to work with my strength before facing this situation.

I real thank my wife because she does not discriminate me in any ways and she keeps doing everything as normal.

Up to this time I have not reached my dreams. It was my wishes to see my children are studying to higher level of education. I wanted to see my children becoming leaders and managing their lives. I haven’t gave up my dreams because I believe if God will help my wife to get some money, still my children will get education as I wanted. The problem is that it is very difficult for one person to fulfill all family needs. If I could have managed to construct two house of my own for renting business it could help us better. The only house I have is this one, and life is very taught.

I have no any plans for reaching my dreams because I can’t work. The only thing I can do is to watch and guide my children when doing domestic activities and farming.

I am facing few family challenges because when you wake up you have to know that children wants to go to school as well as getting something to eat. They are all depending on one person! It is very difficult but I am thankful to God because he is always on my side.

My advice to the government and the community in general is that they have to provide education to PWD’s and create an environment that will enable them to be product in the society.

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