CHALLENGING YOUR DISABILITY IN LIFE. AN INSPIRING STORY OF ONE PAUL MUGAMBI.

CHALLENGING YOUR DISABILITY.

BY FRED NZOMO

 

“Don’t let your challenges challenge you, instead challenge your challenges”

The gift of life is one thing, living it, however is another thing, a different story. The arrival of a child marks  an inexpressible joy in a parents’ life. A child is a blessing, a gift of its own nature from God and it is therefore the joy of each and every other parent to see their child grow into a mature man/woman who will transform the society in one way or another. But what happens when a parent gives birth to a physically challenged child? Or how does life turn out to be in the event of your child being physically disabled? As a parent, guardian or a fellow sibling what do you do, now this person has become physically challenged? Many are the times when the whole family takes up the responsibilities of ensuring that this person lives a comfortable life and gets the best out of it by being there for them by all means and at all costs, others might just forsake the child and term it as a burden to them. But how is life for this person who was either born physically disabled or this person who in the course of living has been affected and turns out to have physical challenges? 

Well, sitaandika kwa mate na wino upo. Here is a life inspiring/moving/encouraging story of one paul mugambi. A visually impaired gospel artiste, a mentor, an activist for the visually impaired and renowned motivational speaker.

Paul Mugambi a.k.a mpofu number moja  was born and raised in a humble background just like any other child.  Paul joined  Saint Lucy’s primary school for the blind where he had slight problems with his eye sight.  He Later joined S.A High school Thika in 1997 where he lost his eye vision on October 27 On a Monday 4 : 37 p.m but not vision of life. He lost his eye sight while still a teen and life was totally difficult for him. 

PAUL MUGAMBI on phone

His is a totally interesting story to tell because in spite of him losing his eye sight, he never gave up life or live complaining of the many extra challenges he was facing in life now that he had no eye sight at all.

He says he lost his eye vision but not vision for life. He decided to live life to its fullest not minding the challenge that life had thrown at him at a totally young age. As matter of fact, he joined Kenyatta university where he achieved among the many things, the best special needs education student and awarded during the First ever academic week. While at the university Paul Founded sports for persons with disabilities at the university level and this is a great legacy since persons with disabilities were not being involved in any sport. During the time in campus he used to be a columnist in the Kenyatta university newsletter. During the university cultural festivals is when Mugambi started his music career.

He also ensured mentorship of youth in to leadership.

PAUL WITH BOSS AND KENTI(M.O.G) AND A FRIEND

 

PAUL ON STAGE

 In 2006 he joined the murky waters of the Kenyatta marching network and he still continued with advocacy and later joined blind and low vision networks as a special advocacy trainer. Where later on 2009 joined the Humanitarian work with Handicap International Dadaab family... Being the first blind humanitarian worker it has not been easy. There has been ups and downs fight against the common disability of the mind set. According to many of the PWDs who have interacted with him, Paul is a young industrious, creative and one of the great inspiring individuals in Kenya and Africa at large. He is a go getter and will stop at nothing to ensure representation of the marginalized groups.

Famous statement from friends “I confess that I do not see him as a blind person from his interactions.”

He  has advocated for access of services to persons with disabilities.

He is currently a   serving in Kenya sports association for the visually impaired

He is a  renown contributor of policy development especially disability mainstreaming approaches.

He also runs a  mentorship and   job employment search for persons with disabilities through the ability society of Kenya

Paul  believes Inclusion is breaking the invisible walls by educating other about abilities for persons with disabilities.

Laced with several challenges Paul Mugambi is still pursuing his dreams to be a renowned and influential disability rights advocate and Musician. He is following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi and he believes he has the power to create the change and make a difference to the world starting with his own self

Life time achievement award Winner July 2014

ANNUAL DISABILITY ADVOCACY RIGHTS & AWARDS

2014 "ADARA"

Awarded "Champion of disability advocacy in the emergency response August 2013 by CBM International

In his own words Paul says that you have to create space where there is no space. This is to mean you have to be assertive for you rights and no one will offer them on a silver platter.

As Dr Twinsburg said in 1940 collectively we are the masters of our future and successful guardian of our own common interest.

Paul is who he is today because of the self belief and awareness that he has for his life. He is a self driven man who believes that life challenges should never challenge you but rather you should challenge your challenges. paul challenged his disability, by simply accepting his new condition in life and making a firm decision that he will make it. The fact that he is visually impaired has never deterred this man from achieving his goals in life or from realizing his own dreams in life. "I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say,
'Because of you I didn't give up.'" Says paul. It is indeed a great challenge to you and me, get up, forget about your worse situations in life, accept the reality and step out to make the best out of life. Today , paul can read and write. The interesting part of this story is that Paul can comfortably facebook, tweet, Google and do any other business online just like you and me. The fact that this man can do all these things is a great motivation or an encouragement of its own class to us all. Paul is comfortably living for his dreams,  you too can emulate him. By just rising up to the occasion and stepping out to do your best no matter what life has thrown at you and no matter how bitter it is. I have heard some people say that they are suffering or facing hardships in life because their fathers ‘drunk their school fees’! That is just but another weird excuse that needs to be scraped from our minds. Period.

 YOU ARE NOT DISABLED, YOU ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED.

As Paul says, DON’T LET YOUR CHALLENGES CHALLENGE YOU, INSTEAD CHALLENGE YOUR CHALLENGES.

What you say?