I happened to be taking my evening walks along Kenyatta market which happens to be my daily routine. As I walked past people, I noticed a girl perhaps, eight years old, sitting on the roadside with her face dropping down due to the scorching sun. I have always been an explorer and wanted to know why she was in that situation. It’s in our nature as kind people to always donate to the street kids and beggars. Upon reaching her, I was curious and wanted to know more. I bent down to get closer to her and asked her what her name was. Reluctantly, she replied ‘Esther’ while between tears.
I also noticed her wheelchair which was strategically placed just a few meters away from her. She was physically handicapped. I asked her whether she schooled and her home area. I realized she was nervous at first and after a few glances to the right and left she grew fond of me and spoke without hesitation. From the information I gathered, she was just a normal child who just needed to be loved.
Being on the streets alone and begging made her feel abnormal and such a burden to her family. I believe there are so many families that take advantage of their relative’s disability to earn a living. My point is, why would you allow such behavior instead of encouraging those people to be better and rise above their disabilities.
Upon reflecting on life, I too was in a similar situation. I had a cousin of mine who was physically disabled and deaf-mute. Growing up in the village was not easy and we had all the reasons to take him out to the streets and beg for food among other necessities. But did we do that? We did not because to us he was just a normal person just like the rest of us.
The fact that we could afford a plate of food for ourselves means we could afford him as well. The emphasis is on the self-esteem of these people. By putting them out on the streets, they are denied a perfect and peaceful life and they lack purpose and determination. They believe to be limited due to their disabilities which should not be the case.
Why can’t people just treat them like normal human beings? Nobody chooses how they are born and according to religion, we are all equal before the eyes of the highest. The fact that people rise up early in the morning to work means they can do the same, not awakening to the worst thoughts of staring at strangers and begging for money.
In my opinion, we as a people need to advocate for the rights of the physically disabled who are crowded especially in big cities like Nairobi. The same advocacy that FGM gets, should be done for the handicapped. Those that are not exploited in being taken to the streets are normally mistreated at home by being isolated from their peers. If possible, these children and adults should be taken to a home where they will be safeguarded. They can meet other people and interact without fear, and doing this boosts their self-esteem. Through this, they can receive special education and medical services and be offered job positions while engaging in other activities in order to motivate them.
~No Human is limited!~