For the longest time, people with disabilities are seen as a liability in the society, many are termed as persons who cannot only fend for themselves but also as people who cannot breathe life into their dreams.
Despite the stigma attached to such a vulnerable group of people, students from Sikri TVC for the Blind and Deaf are defying all odds to overcome great obstacles and learn courses in various sectors such as massage, tailoring, beadwork and carpentry.
22-year-old, Billy Otieno is no ordinary man, but one who has overcome many challenges and stood the test of time to become the first blind to pursue a Japanese dry massage course (shiatsu).
The third-year student at the institution was born blind but his passion to eke a living triggered him to join the institution since the course had been newly introduced by the principal.
When you first meet him, you can barely tell that he is blind as he has perfected his skill in performing the traditional Japanese massage.
He narrates that the journey to perfect his skills has not been easy but he’s determined to do things that people think he cannot do.
“After I joined the institution I was not sure of what course to pursue, but I settled for Shiatsu since I had to adapt to the world and at least find something that could make me earn a living,” he said.
He added that Shiatsu is a form of massage that involves the use of hands and thumb to apply pressure on various points of the body without the use of oil.
“Shiatsu is a different kind of massage therapy that people seek for relaxation, healing and relief that involve pressing specific points of the body to reduce tension and fatigue by improving blood and lymphatic circulation,” he said.
Along with plenty of determination, Otieno faces many challenges that include lack of advanced technology and many people are not aware of the massage.
“With the advance in technology, it’s very hard to find a teenage Japanese cloth that will aid in head massage and still the stigma is very high as people think the blind cannot do certain jobs,” he said.
Otieno is stubbornly passionate about completing his studies in the institution and setting up a clinic to earn a living and change the community narrative about people with disabilities (PWDs).
“I now make some money but I want to work extra hard and complete my course and set up my own business,” he said.
With the advancement of technology, the institution offers advanced braille machine (Orbit reader) and sign language courses which have been a beacon of hope for many youths living with disabilities
Corason Odhiambo, another blind student in the institution pursuing diploma in Information and Communicate (ICT) is passionate about changing his life positively and has battled many adversities in life.
When he joined the institution, he could only listen to teachers and write his notes using the braille machine but he could not have his assignments done on time since the machine is bulky and he could not carry it home.
“My course involves the use of advanced technology and software and I have to be updated on how to use them, it was very difficult for me to study at home since I did not have the bulky braille machine,” he said.
Odhiambo operates the orbit reader with admirable accuracy and he has perfected using the device which is easy to use compared to the braille machine.
He notes that the institution has introduced orbit readers that aid students who are visually impaired to learn, take notes and study anywhere anytime.
“The orbit reader device has replaced the braille machine and it is portable and one can read notes anywhere, the device also has a memory card where one can store notes,” he said.
According to the head of department (HOD) special needs department, George Bonyo, the school enrols students with multiple disabilities to study creative art courses since most of them are ignored and neglected by the community.
“Growing up as a child with multiple disabilities is very challenging since many are stigmatized not only by the community but also the parents, but the institution offers comfort to PWD and trains them in various technical courses for them to make a living,” he said.
By Amos Kiarie
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