Blind people ‘ba- blind’

Sir,

Swaziland I hope I will not confuse you with this tag line ‘Blind people baBlind’ what I’m trying to say is that Blind people are too smart.

I’m not trying to say that other people living with disabilities are not smart but today I just want to say ‘blind people baBlind’; maybe someday I will write about other people.

Let me tell you why I say people with a visual impairment are too smart, we all know that they do everything without the help of the eyes, which is one reason that makes them smart.
I know some people will say they are trained to do that but I’ll say not all of them have the opportunity to be trained, we all know that.

Disability

I am an undergraduate from Limkokwing University of Creative And Technology who is doing an internship with Save the Children, it is here where I have realised that ‘blind people baBlind’.
We were visiting LaMgabhi Inkhundla to educate people there about disability rights and inclusion projects, it is worth mentioning that I was not one of the educators but I was there to do my photography work.

I have to confess, it was my first time sitting and talking to a visually impaired person and I’m sure there are so many people in Swaziland who have never spent some time with a blind person; it is not that we discriminate against them but it is the fact that there is no one who is blind around us.
To someone who has never spent some time with a blind person this is my advice to you: When you come across a blind person in the street say hi and ask them if they are in a hurry, if they are not, ask them anything.

You’ll be shocked to learn that they know everything that is happening in Swaziland or the whole world especially if you were for the idea that they just don’t care.
What I’ve learned is that visually impaired people do not feel sorry for themselves or should I say the ones that I was with (Mr Methula and Makhanya) are proud of themselves.

During their presentation they mentioned two things that deeply touched me.

Disabled

First, they wanted to ask the society (those without disabilities) if it ever crossed their minds that they could become disabled tomorrow.
They also raise a pertinent question which was, “what have you done to make the life of those living with disability better?”
I have contemplated their stance and I’m now asking you my brothers and sisters (those who are not disabled) if the answer is, “it never crosses my mind” for the first question.

Think about it, what if something bad happens to you and the doctors confirm that you now have to live with a disability.
Would you be able to get inside your own house? 

I’m thinking of those useless steps we usually build in our verandas which are restrictive, they wouldn’t let you into your home.
Would you not question why you built them in the first place and wouldn’t you question why you never made an allowance for a disability?
 If the answer was nothing for the second question I will also say to you - what if the doctors tomorrow confirmed you were disabled - would you be happy that nobody is trying to make the country conducive for you to live in?

Destroying

I mean nobody is destroying those useless staircases in our buildings; you are not represented in many committees of the country; would you be happy with being called all sorts of names?
Would you be happy that your own family is keeping you away from the community?

How would you feel if someone said you can’t be a leader just because you are disabled and finally would you be happy that everyone you come across either discriminates against you or pities you, like you are not a human being?

Our government should make sure that Swaziland is a better place for people living with disability and we, as the community, should not forget that Blind people baBlind (Blind people they are too smart)

Fortune Ndlangamandla

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