Sadau Suleiman Gambo (talban wase) is a person with visual impairment from yelwan -Shandam in Shandam local government of Plateau state. He was born into a family of twenty children but now only eight of them are alive, His father married three wives. He was not born with any form of disability, He became blind about ten years ago as a result of illness. He is married with eight children.

In this interview with our correspondents, Bulus Bala Izang and Joshua Yenle, he talked about how he carried on with his life after he lost his sight.

TQM. What work were you doing, before you lost your sight?

I was a truck driver.

TQM. When you were growing up, did you have the opportunity of going to school?

Yes, I schooled up to Secondary school. I attended Bauwas primary school in Kanam local government of Plateau state, then for my secondary secondary school, I started in Kanam local government, but completed in Government Secondary School, Juwan in Abuja.

TQM. After you became blind, what are you doing for a living?

I am working as an official of National Union of Raod Transport Workers of Yelwan- Shandam heavy truck branch 1. I was part of them long before l became blind.

TQM. How do you carry out your functions, considering you are a person with visual disability?

The people, the environment and the procedures are very familiar to me long before l became blind. Most of the NURTW officials and drivers are people that, l have worked with or even help to train when l was still having my sight. Fitting in or working with them becomes easier, l remain grateful to them for making my work easier, they are really a family.

TQM. Aside your engagement with NURTW, are you doing anything else?

I used to do a little farming, but for years now, l don’t have the money to give people to cultivate the farm for me. This have seriously affected feeding in my house.

TQM. When you lost your sight, do you face discrimination either at home or outside?

Yes, l face discrimination, especially within my family, my two wives made things very difficult for me, they could not accommodate my new condition. This even lead to my separation with the two of them. But now l have married another two wives.

TQM. Are your new wives persons with disabilities?

No.

TQM. When you were driving, was the truck your own?

I drove other people’s truck as well as my truck.

TQM. Are you still in possession of your truck?

No, I sold so many properties l owned in finding cure for my sight. Including the truck and a provision store that was having stock worth about two million naira.

TQM. Are your children schooling?

Yes they are. To me, education is very important. My first daughter is in senior secondary school class three (S.S. 3).

TQM. Who is paying for their education?

I am the one who is struggling to pay, but its not easy doing that, in fact, today some of my children were sent back home from school, because, l could not pay their fees. It is not that l don’t want to pay, it is just that l don’t have the money to pay but when l get money, l will pay the school fees.

TQM. What would be your open appeal for assistance to those reading your story?

Let use this opportunity to appeal to people to help me with the payment of my children’s school fees, and also l need money and other farm inputs to resume my farming.

TQM. Thank you sir for your time.

Thank you.

Marfe Ndam is a person with physical disability from Shandam local government of plateau state. She is from a family of seven children, her father married two wives, and her mother happened to be the second wife. She is now married with three children.
She had her primary school education at LGEA Academy primary school Shandam, and later she went to Government Secondary School Shandam for her secondary education. She also went to Plateau State Polytechnic out-reach Campus there in Shandam where she acquired a certificate in Public Administration.

In this interview with our correspondents, Bulus Izang and Joshua Yenle in their tour to Shandam local government as part of our project Connecting Our Voices To the World supported by Oxfam Voice, she talked about her challenges as person with disability.

TQM. Are you employed?

I am not but I have something doing to help myself.

TQM. What are you doing to help yourself, can you let us into it?

I am selling logs of fire woods and ciroh, (a sweetener for Kunu) as my work.

TQM. You had disability at an early age. How was the treatment like to you in the society, as a girl child with disability?

As a child, then, I did not understand much, so, also the other children in the society, so when they saw me crawling, they usually asked questions, like why is this girl crawling on the ground? On hearing these, I would become embarrassed and I would be crying for a long time, but now I know and understand better, so, I respond better.

TQM. As you grew into a teenage, did you have any boyfriend -girlfriend relationship?

No, I did not get that, in fact, even up to my twenties, it used to make me cry and, l keep on asking myself questions, why are things happening to me? But I thank God, I am today married with three children.

TQM. Are your children attending School?

Yes, one is in tertiary school, second child is in secondary school and the youngest is in primary school.

TQM. Who pays for their education?

Me and my husband.

TQM. Is you husband a person with disability?

Yes, he is a person with physical disability.

TQM. What work is he doing?

He buy and sells grains to people.

TQM. The house you are staying in, is it a rented place?

It is a family house.

TQM. In doing your business, have you ever received any grant or loan to expand you business?

Yes, the money I used in starting my business was given to me by Dr. Ayebene. The owner of Ebene Clinic, here in Shandam. He is the only one that have given me helped.

TQM. What would your appeal for assistance be to someone who is reading your story?

My appeal to our leader is that they should help me with employment, and some money to expand my business and lastly but not the least, my children’s education needs sponsorship.

TQM. Do Thank for sharing you story with us.

You are welcome.

Stephen Musa is amputee from Shandam local government of Plateau state who lost his left leg as a result of motor vehicle accident, He is married with three children.

In this chat with our correspondents, Joshua Yenle and Bulus Bala Izang as part of our “Connecting Our Voices to The World Project supported by Oxfam Voice, he spoke on how he coped with his amputation.

TQM. Were you able to acquire western education?

I only manage to conclude secondary school, at Government Secondary school, Gopal. But before that, l did my primary school at LGEA primary school Shandam. I took care of my education financially because my parents care little about educating us, their children.

TQM. How did you get money to pay for your education?

I was assisting people with what ever little job they have for me, especially jobs on the farms, and when l became older, l became an assistant driver when l was still in my secondary school. It was the money l got from these activities that l used to pay for my education.

TQM. Is your wife a person with disability?

Yes, she is a person with physically disability.

TQM. What about your children’s education?

All the three of them are schooling.

TQM. Who is paying for their education?

It is me and my wife, even though we are not finding it easy, sometimes, they have to stay away from classes for weeks, because we cannot afford to pay for their fees within a given time.

TQM. After the amputation, what work are you doing?

I can still drive, l have an artificial leg, which enable me to do that, but l am yet to have a car. for now, l am one of the officials of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Shandam branch, and we do get some commission out of it. I also serve as a middleman, when people want to buy rice, l go to village market and buy it for them and get some commission.

TQM. You said you can still drive, can you tell us where you have driven a car to, as an amputee?

I have driven a Sharon car from here Shandam to Kaduna town and back. I have been driving. l have a motorcycle which l ride as a personal means of transportation.

TQM. Do you have discrimination from people around you?

Sometimes l come across discrimination form people in our community but not much.

TQM. How do you behave in such a situation?

I don’t care much, to react negatively.

TQM. Do you know of Institutions, like the Plateau State Disability Rights Commission and their activities?

Yes.

TQM. Have you considered seeking redress when being discriminated upon, with the aid of such Institutions?

Yes, but l have not done it.

TQM. In doing your business, have you ever received any assistance to boost the business?

No.

TQM. What is your peal for assistance to any person reading your story?

I need financial assistance to be a rice dealer, l understand the business and the village market well. I am trusting God, if l have the money to start this business, l will do well. I have farm land which l have not put to use for sometimes now, with some money in my hands, l can give it to people to do the farming for me. I would also need assistance with my children’s education.

TQM. Thank you for your time

Thank You for coming

Francisca Nkup is a polio survivor from Shandam local government of plateau state. She became a person with disability when she was two years, she is from a family of seven children and the only one with disability. He father died when she was still very young.

In a chat with our correspondents, Bulus Bala Izang and Joshua Yenle, she spoke on her education and how she have been coping with her disability

TQM. What is your educational background like?

I was privileged to go to school to a certain level. I did my primary school at Pangtoma LEA primary school, from there, l went to Government Girls Science School Shandam, for my secondary education. After that, l went to College of Agriculture Garkawa, where l had my Diploma in Animals Health and Production.

TQM. Are you thinking of going further than the Diploma you have?

Yes, if I have the money to do so.

TQM. Who sponsored your education up to the diploma level?

My elder brother and the Catholic Church where l worship with.

TQM. With your qualification, where are you working?

I am not working any where, l have applied for employment to several establishment without success. This is one of the major problem we, people with disabilities face in Nigeria, when we are educated, we usually don’t get to be employed, and when we have handwork, we are still not assisted.

TQM. What economic activities are you then engaged in for a living?

I am knitting sweaters for people to buy.

TQM. Do you have a shop where you do your knitting?

No, I am doing it at home, I don’t have money to rent a shop, the income I get from the knitting is very small.

TQM. Are you married?

No, (a disbelieving smile) I am not, who would like to marry a lady with disability?

TQM. Do you have men coming to you with the view of taking advantage your condition?

I have not had that kind of experience.

TQM. Does your disability limits you from doing domestic work?

The domestic work that l cannot do are few, like carrying heavy things around with two hands, but with that apart, l can cook, wash, clean and all other work well.

TQM. Lastly, What would be your personal open call for help to the Society or any one reading your story be?

I have been trained in Animals Health and Production, if only I would have financial assistance, l would like to go into poultry business, or l should be assisted with knitting machine and some money to buy wools for the knitting.

TQM. Thank you for your time, l wish you the best of luck

Thank you.