Explore your talent, USAID ambassadors tell special needs children
World para-athletics champion David Emong
What you need to know:
Gombya, who suffered polio at the of two, said he has made it in life because of self-belief.
Kampala. When dealing with a continuous social problem, speeches and themes are usually repeated almost every anniversary. But it is individual stories that make the difference, to give the cause a new dimension.
Shamim Nantambi spoke her first word aged five. She only managed to move on her own aged nine. Cerebral Palsy had denied her the growth normal children enjoy.
But at 30 now, she is grateful that her parents did not neglect her. Her mother carried her on her back five kilometres to Masaka Hospital. Her father took care of them and her siblings played foot with her.
“My brothers always told me to keep the goal. The balls were heavy and fast for me to handle. At first I thought they were punishing me. But now I realise they gave me the best training of hard work, self-belief that has helped me live a better life,” Nantambi told the participants at the CoRSU-Blaze Sport Inclusive Sport Gala on Saturday.
Now a proud mother of one, Nantambi is the treasurer of the Uganda Association for Cerebral Palsy, and a benefactor of her parents and siblings.
Her message to children with disabilities: quit self-pity. This was echoed by all Blaze Sports ambassadors: sitting volleyball player and Makerere University medicine student Aidah Katushabe, world para-athletics champion David Emong and Kampala deputy mayor and renowned artist Sam Gombya.
They had seen children with and without disabilities from different centres play, sing and dance together at the CoRSU Hospital in Kisubi. They urged them on and encouraged the parents to support these children explore their talents.
Gombya, who suffered polio at the of two, said he has made it in life because of self-belief.
“I caught polio at the time disability was seen as curse. But for 42 years now, I see disability can be a blessing in disguise because look at how much I have achieved,” he said to a thunderous applause. “To government, please help us and make public facilities accessible to all. And to PWDs with talents, explore them.”
