By Philiphine K
Cheptanui.
In our contemporary society, there
exists this exclusive group of individuals living with disabilities. So
marginalized are they that they often shy away from participating in most
activities. As a result of the perceived non-participatory nature, they have
been associated with poorer health conditions, lower education achievements,
less socioeconomic involvement, high poverty rates and lots of dependencies. All
the same, disability is part and parcel of us, we need not evade for any
reason. We live with the disabled, we work with them, and we may be disabled in
one way or another.
Disability is not simply an irrelevant
difference, like the color of your skin, neither need it be a tragedy. At its
least, it is a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements,
senses, \or activities.
Have you ever thought of yourself being
disabled? Have you ever asked yourself why you are the way you are? Have you
ever thought to yourself: ‘I’d rather be dead than disabled ’? Don’t be amazed
because these are usual reflections in day-to-day live. We often feel sorry for
them because we imagine that it must be miserable to be disabled.
But in fact we are wrong. People with
disabilities have recorded quality life, sometimes even better than the
non-disabled. Impairment usually makes little difference to quality of life. A
critical analysis on the life of people living with disabilities renders void
the above claim of Failure, poorer health conditions, less socioeconomic
involvement and dependencies.
Think of excellent Paralympics athletes,
think of Dr Muthoka, a blind lecturer in Moi University, think of Rev. Jackson
Kosgey, Father to the award-winning Gospel singer Emmy Kosgey. These particular
people have made live out of their disability.
Sometimes we can be skeptical about the
subjective nature of quality of life this exclusive group leads. The statements
we make when addressing them, when we talk about them and may be what we think
about them can be so patronizing, if not insulting, and importantly wrong.
Sometimes we are tempted to imagine that perhaps this cheerful people with
disabilities are deluding themselves or may be fooling others, that they admit
misery in private and while in public, they show brave jubilant faces. This is
certainly a wrong projection that calls for everyone to
We owe them a responsibility to make
them feel better every day, to enable them realize their dreams even when they
are shuttered. Remember, we never know what the future has for us. Disability
can come with birth or later with our lifestyle.
Sometimes, the part of life that is
difficult brings other benefits, such as a sense of perspective or true value
that people who lead easier lives can miss out on. If we always remembered
this, perhaps we would turn out to be more accepting of disability and less
prejudiced against disabled people.
