Disability is not Inability

:: Mwangi’s friendly ways.

It is difficult to ignore 13-year-old Frederick Mwangi’s friendly smile. His eye twinkle as he talks about he enjoys doing.

Born with a physical disability and being different from many boys and girls of his age, Mwangi will not let his handicap hold him back. Playing chess and scrabble, outdoor racing, sporting competitions, listening to music and reading are some of his many hobbies. “I wake myself up by 5am.” He says. “The first thing that I do is go to the bathroom for a quick shower, come back, and put on my uniform. Then I make my bed. “There is an unmistakable glitter in his eyes. A pupil at dormitory that has 30 other students.

“When I shower. I have to get onto my wheelchair, which is always lying next to my bed. “He admits that he has a disability, which makes it hard for him to move from one classroom to the other. “Sometimes I have to be pushed by someone while, at other times. I push myself, “he says, his smile never leaving his radiant face.

“After my bed is made and it is still dark, I then start my journey to the classroom, “he explains. If the wheelchair he has at that moment is the right size, he will push himself with ease. If the wheelchair is not this size, he has to get someone to push him from place to place. “But I like it when I can push myself around without any help, “he says, explaining that he longs for independence.

Mwangi goes to class at 5.30am to do some studies. “It is always dark at that time…many students still happen to be sleeping. But I like to start studying early in the morning.”

Come 7.05am, he goes to have his breakfast at the school’s dining hall. At that hour, the food is already laid out on the table. “I always sit at my favourite place in the middle of the hall. “After breakfast, on some days like Mondays and Fridays, he says, they have a school parade. On the other three days, they go straight to class. “While on parade, we listen to announcements from our headmaster, Mr. Mburu he says, adding that he often has to push himself, which makes him very tired. But he is used to it.

In the classroom, we have normal lessons up to 9.30am, when we take a break. During this time, we rest outside in the corridors and play board games like scrabble and chess.”

He says that, after every two lesson in the classroom, they take short breaks so that they can rest and be able to concentrate better during the next lesson. “My favourite subject is science, which is taught by Mrs. Njau, “he reveals with a big smile. As he talks, his face glows with warmth.

“During lunch hour, we go back to the dining hall. “He says: “It is always fun because, this time, I am pushed by my friend Daniel Kibunja or Anthony Kahumbu. We have fun cracking jokes and play games along the way."

Source: Story By Margaret Oganda; Sunday Standard 5th August 2007.

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