The "stones" rejected by the builders are now in the construction: a history of disability

General News of Thursday, July 25, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-07-25

Kwasi has a left hand with contorted fingers.

In the sweltering heat of Amasaman in Accra, sweat breaks his face. But the salty pearls do not harbad his smile as he speaks to Joynews' rock and roll artist Hammond.

Behind him, Michael, one foot, is as stable as a flamingo on one leg. And he hops around piles of sand and stone used in construction work.

He lost a left foot but his partner Eric lost a right leg. The little that remains, twists and tightens around his clutch. This is all the stability he needs to push the sand and mix the mortar with the Kweku to one arm.

A team of four disabled people recruited from a company that builds homes for predictable and fully able people.

Scattered across the country, Kasoa, Kumasi and Techiman, they find their way to Accra when a job comes in and unite them in a company that wants to stoically give a chance to people with disabilities.

"I do not consider myself disabled," Kwasi concluded, glancing at his deformed fingers, adding, "I can not beg."

With one leg, Eric finds sitting, a handicap. He gets up and shows what he is most capable of doing. "It was perfect," he beamed in the sun.

"So I started digging, digging manholes and digging foundations," he explained with pride.

"I can mix 30 bags of cement in mortar a day," he said, boasting tonic biceps ready to support him.

Micheal and Kweku, missing foot and arm respectively, paid great respect to their boss, Samuel Obeng, who gave them a chance to make masonry.

Samuel Obeng founded Talent Hour, an NGO that seeks out people with disabilities who lie in life. He has been helping for nearly a decade, until he decides to register this NGO in 2016, he said.

Mr. Obeng has expressed his deep desire to help people like Mike, Kweku, Eric and Kwasi. The sight of the plight of people with disabilities afflicts him, he told JoyNews about the construction site of Amasaman.

Does he need help from companies, government or individuals with a construction contract to give? Yes, he said. Four disabled people build for people with disabilities.

Once upon a time like them too. But that was a long time ago. He became blind for seven hours when he was a child. But since his eyes opened, he sees even more clearly than many.

He sees a vision to support those who want to be accepted into their own society and to see beyond their own disabilities.