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Youth Interactive Reporter

TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Form two pupil Vellah Misodzi  from Juru (Bhora), believes her age is nothing but a number, and that one’s focus is what matters.

She is the oldest in her class and it has not been easy as she endures segregation from fellow pupils.

Vellah’s story is a sad chapter of her life, following her electrocution in 2016 on her way from school, by live power cables that had fallen on to the road.

The tragedy of that fateful day, September 22, 2016, still haunts her.

She had to write her Grade Seven exams from a hospital bed and her results came separately from others, but she never lost hope.

Four years later she is in Form two,  defying the members of the community who laugh at her age.

She contemplated committing suicide before she received counselling. She was 14 years-old when the mishap occurred and her family and community gathered for a funeral to mourn her after the incident.

She was in the Intensive Unit Care for seven hours and her family lost hope due to the injuries sustained.

Vellah hopes that well-wishers may provide any form of assistance to advance her education

Despite the incident, she wrote her Grade Seven examinations from her hospital bed, after sustaining serious injuries in which she lost her leg, hand and toes.

The strong young lady hopes that well-wishers will  provide any form of assistance to advance her education.

“I stayed with my mother in Bhora under Goromonzi District and I was born without any defect. Unfortunately as I was coming from school I stepped on live powercables, which had fallen after a fire.

“We were approaching the Grade Seven final exams, when this incident occurred. A fire had broken out in the area and burnt a power pole, which fell on to the road, leaving the cables exposed.

“I stepped onto the cables and my left hand and leg stuck to the cables.

“My hair was burning and, at that moment, magetsi akabva adhinguka before I fell unconscious,” she said.

Rescuers had to cut off the uniforms she was wearing.

“They had to use a knife to cut the uniform, and my flesh was peeling off and this happened around 6pm.

“I was then ferried to Musami Mission Provincial Hospital before being referred to Parirenyatwa due to the degree of the injuries.

“I later regained my consciousness around 12 midnight and I was asking where I was,” she added.

She said at her home, people had gathered for a funeral wake.

“At home, my family members were already preparing for a funeral since they had lost hope and assumed I had died. They were playing drums while I remained in the ICU for hours. I was taken from the ICU by the doctors who took me to another ward. I was just 14 years old and my left upper hand, left leg (below the knee) and three toes on the right leg were amputated.

“I went into the theatre four times, on my first day I entered around 9am and woke up around 7pm. I stayed in hospital for three months and I had to write my Grade Seven exams from  the hospital bed.”

“There were some teachers, who were moving around hospitals helping pupils to write their exams.

“They came to me checking if I was able to write the exams and I said yes.

But my relatives and some teachers from school, at first, declined since I was in great pain.

“I even cried to convince my relatives and, in the end, I sat for my exams, which began on November 4.

“I developed ulcers and I was then discharged from the hospital on December 24 and I was now being treated at home.

“I would go for a review every week. The day I left the hospital I cried since I was shocked that I was now going to use a wheelchair.

“It was difficult for me to accept my new condition as I was now disabled, yet I used to walk properly.

Vellah said her results came out separately.

“When the Grade Seven results came out, mine didn’t come.

“There were some issues but they later came out in March 2017 and I had 19 units. I went to Jairosi Jiri, looking for enrolment, and they advised me to get examined first, as they claimed my brain was affected by the burns.

“We could not get access to the doctor and I had to stay at home, but I kept my results slip hoping that one day I would go to school.

“I loked for poison so that I kill myself before my mother took it away from me. I felt I was giving her a burden since she was the one who was taking care of me, pushing my wheelchair.

“But, I later got counselling and I now have happiness. I asked myself kuti dai zvisina kuitirwa ini, ndaida zviitirwe ani,” she said.

She said four years later she went back to school.

“I started going to secondary school after four years. I had always wanted to proceed with school.

“Many people laughed and mocked me over my age when they heard I was now going to school.

“Vaiti iyo chembere, zigogo chairo muchiri kuvavarirei kuchikoro. These words affected me the most but I comforted myself. It was not easy at school since no one would want to push me on the wheelchair. The situation made me not eat or drink anything at school since no one would take me to the toilet.

“I am now in Form Two and I look forward to a better future. I wish to be a role model to many vulnerable people.

“People say a lot, but I have developed a thick skin. Worse still, I am the oldest in class but I am not moved or deterred.

“I have discovered that suicide is not an option. Death is not an option and I see myself becoming a journalist or radio presenter.I want a job that can suit my condition.”