Posted by From MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia on
At St. Vincent De Paul Physically Challenged and Mentally Handicapped Centre, Umuahia, there is no room for disability.
At St. Vincent De Paul Physically Challenged and Mentally Handicapped Centre, Umuahia, there is no room for disability. The belief there is that every disability could be turned to ability and every child born or who develops disability could be assisted to make the best of his or her situation.
This was demonstrated at Patoria Hotel recently during the inauguration of Isaiah 58 House, an NGO that takes care of the handicapped, the underprivileged, widows and vulnerable children.
To drive home that the underprivileged could be helped to overcome or cope with their challenges, the organizers of the event had invited only cultural and drama groups made up of only handicapped persons. One of those, who participated in the drama of a troubled family was Master Chukwuebube Uzodinma, a handicapped child. In one of the scenes involving eating, he jolted the audience when he ate with his toes.
Though it could not be ascertained how and when Chukwuebube lost the use of his two hands, the two hands are shriveled and could not be used to do anything. Left alone he would have been a beggar as his condition is such that anybody with milk of human kindness would easily give him alms as he could not ordinarily do anything by himself.
Even when St. Vincent De Paul has given him hope, the little Chukwuebube, who is in primary four, says he hates begging just as he is determined to succeed in life as a medical doctor.
Chukwuebube, who speaks English language fluently, said he does not know the cause of his handicap but believes it will not stop him from becoming a medical doctor.
Becoming a medical doctor
I want to assist people who are sick to get well. I do not want people to suffer pains and I can do that if I'm a doctor.
Can you be a doctor without the use of your hands?
I can do it, even if I am the first person. If I can use my feet and toes to do what my hands and fingers should do, my teachers will teach me.
What can you do with your toes?
I can eat with my toes and very fast too and those who have fingers may not be faster. I brush my teeth with my toes. I write with my toes and my aunty says that my writing is very good. Nobody writes my exams for me. I also write it with my toes.
Chukwuebube who, however, stated that his sister washes clothes for him, said he learnt to use his toes to do what others do with their hands at St. Vincent De Paul School.
Chukwuebube was not alone in throwing aside the challenges of disability to enjoy his life, the deaf and dumb also did in one item of the entertainment.
It was dancing time for the deaf and dumb. With only one member of the troop who was normal without hearing disability, leading the dancers, the other ones danced in such a way that without being told, nobody would know that they were not hearing the beatings of the drums they were dancing to.
Rev Sister Vivian, who came with them, said the school has a cream of dedicated teachers who were committed to assisting physically challenged to grow up being useful to themselves and the society.
Representative of the wife of Governor Theodore A. Orji on the occasion, Commissioner of Women Affairs, Lady Chinedu Brown, said that Chukwuebube's life reinforced her convictions earlier in the day when she had complained within herself as she was being pulled to an environment inspection by Chief (Mrs) Orji against her schedule that morning to have a rest.
She said that she quickly counselled herself that with the gift of good health she should not complain about work when others who would want to work are not healthy to do so. 'But here I am now in this inauguration of Isaiah 58 to see live a person who is eating with his toes because he cannot make use of his hands."
She commended the caregivers at St. Vincent De Paul for the hope they are giving to the inmates.
'As these children sing, wave hands, dramatize, eat with their toes, they demonstrate the need for all of us to be our brother's keepers. I had wanted to complain, but something in me suggested I should not, after all I was healthy, had my hands, feet, eyes all working well. So, I decided not to complain and jumped out for the assignment.
'So, for me to come to see somebody who is using his toes to eat instead of the fingers, but I can use my hands, feet and eyes, I feel I have so much to give thanks to God for."
Mrs Brown urged Nigerians to be challenged to respond to the needs of the handicapped in the society by donating for their welfare and assisting groups that are providing care for them.
The government, she said, should not be expected to do everything, adding that individuals have their personal roles to play in making life meaningful for the underprivileged.