Nyasha Ndlovu born September 15, 1966 was a normal child just like any other of his age until a mishappenning struck when he was almost 2 years.
Being young, he remembers being told that he used to play with a girl of his age who was a daughter to a neighbour in their rural area in Maguva Village, Chief Zishiri in Chirumanzu.
He recalls being told that on a fateful day, playing with his friend, the little girl, they uprooted vegetables in their neighbour’s garden.
When the parents of the two kids met, a misunderstanding occured, the neighbour was demanding that Nyasha’s mother restore the vegetables to their original state.
Nyasha’s mother advised her neighbour that it was impossible within the time frame given, moreso, they were just children playing.
“Mwana wenyu adzura muriwo wangu, mangwana haafambi”, the neigbour sweared. (Your son uprooted my vegetables he will not walk tomorrow).
True to her swearing, the following day Nyasha could not walk or woke up as his left side of the body had stroked.
Her mother who had not taken the swearing by the neighbour seriously had woken up to her chores only to return seeing her son still asleep which was unsual.
On investigating she realised that her son had suffered a stroke and she sought spiritual assistance and only the hand was salvaged but the leg remained crippled.
“My mother later took me to Harare Hospital for treatment where my leg was operated but I never walked again”, Nyasha said.
“I can’t change my disability, it is part of God’s plan for my life. I embrace it and move on.” – Bethany Hamilton
Just like Bethany Hamilton, Nyasha embraced his disability and moved on just like any other child.
“I attended Chinyuni Primary School and Muterende Secondary School both in Chirumanzu”, said Nyasha.
Nyasha said, “I was comfortable at school as all the Headmasters of the schools I attended made sure that other pupils treated me normally”.
Nyasha obtained 4 subjects at Ordinaly Level but failed to find money to write failed subjects.
For Nyasha, his life had a fair share of its own challenges.
His grandmother was the one who struggled to send him to school through selling of chickens.
The grandmother later passed on and Nyasha continued selling the chickens that was left behind for fees.
“Some staring I received from children and adults could put me off when I was growing up but I soldiered on”, Nyasha went on to say.
Nyasha appreciates Jairos Jiri for imparting him with livelihood skills in the form of agriculture and welding.
Nyasha said that, “I attended Masvingo Jairos Jiri vocational training centre where I did welding but it was inclusive of agriculture and I was later transferred to Bulawayo Jairos Jiri vocational centre and attained class 3 trade test in welding”.
Nyasha worked in several companies in Bulawayo.
Just like every ordinary Zimbabwean, surviving in a VUCAD environment is a challenge, and it becomes double difficult to someone living with a disability.
“I was retrenched from work and I failed to find any other employent”, said Nyasha.
Since he once worked in shoe manufacturing company, Nyasha now repairs shoes in the streets of Dzivarasekwa, Harare.
However, the going on is really difficult and Nyasha was recently ejected from a house he was renting for failure to pay rent.
Right now Nyasha is staying in the custody of Gogo Silizani.
He has 20 road runner hens being kept by a well wisher but he can hardly raise food for the birds and he have resorted to bins to scavange something for them.
“I last received help from Zimbabwe Social Welfare in January this year, the help was in the form of money which could only buy a packet of sugar and a loaf of bread then”, Nyasha put it on.
Nyasha is appealing for help in the form of accomodation and assistance to grow his poultry business.
“People who want to assist can call me on this number, +263 713 929 714”, said Nyasha.
