IF turning lemons into lemonade was a person, it would be Mabvuto Sakala because he has turned his life around despite his inability to hear.
Sakala, 35, was born with all his senses intact, into a family of nine. However, life took a toll on him after losing his hearing ability at the age of six.
His early years were filled with conversations and laughter with his parents but fate struck when he fell seriously ill and was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
Mabvuto recalled that he was diagnosed with meningitis which robbed him of his hearing at such an early age and leaving his parents hopeless and traumatised.
“I lost my hearing at age six due to illness. My parents were worried about my health, they never wanted to lose me because I was the only child who couldn’t hear at the time,” shared Sakala.
His loss of hearing now led to a lot of challenges especially when it came to education.
The 35 year old recalled how he would feel sad while other children his age were attending school and free to socialise with others.
“I found myself sitting outside watching them go to school wondering what about me?” he said.
But that was not the end of his aspirations as he got lucky and went to Lusaka boys primary school where he was offered special education and thrived exceptionally.
He later went to Munali school of special needs where he could cover a two hour walk to school but never gave up on his dream of attaining an education.
“I believed I could make it, I went to school without money or breakfast, passed my grade nine exams in 2007, moved to St. Joseph school of the deaf on the Copperbelt and completed in 2009 with good grades.
Mabvuto now had to look for a place for his tertiary education which he had challenges with finding.
He stated that many universities denied him the chance to pursue higher education for being deaf.
But he later got a chance at Rockview university where he was given a 75 percent bursary and pursued his Bachelor of Science in Information Communication Technology, becoming the first person to have a degree in his family.
Mabvuto’s advice to his fellow differently abled people is that “being deaf or differently abled does not mean being incapable.”
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 7, 2024
