Sinikiwe redefines disability LOVE IS IN THE AIR . . . Sinikiwe spends quality time with her boyfriend, Jacob
LOVE IS IN THE AIR . . . Sinikiwe spends quality time with her boyfriend, Jacob

LOVE IS IN THE AIR . . . Sinikiwe spends quality time with her boyfriend, Jacob

Muchaneta Chimuka & Leroy Dzenga

American civil rights activist Lena Horne made a profound statement when she said: “It is not the load that breaks you, but the way you carry it.” When it comes to conviction and self-reliance, 23-year-old Sinikiwe Kademaunga stands out as a shining beacon.Born without both wrists and with dwarfism, she refused to let her condition dictate what she can or cannot do. However, growing up was not a walk in the park for the confident blogger and student.

“Growing up with a disability was a bit difficult for me. Living in a world where there are certain standards of body figure, how one walks and certain fashion for you to be seen as beautiful,” Kademaunga said of her battle with social perceptions growing up in Rusape`s Gandanzara area.

Her condition robbed her of the opportunity to grow up with her parents.

“I never lived with my parents. My grandmother took me when I was two years and I have stayed with her up until today,” Kademaunga said.

Her mother and father sadly passed on in 2001 and 2005 respectively.

However, she does not see the time she spent under her grandmother`s tutelage as wasted.

“My grandmother is the reason why I dared to dream. She believed in me before I could believe in myself. Although I wish I had gotten to know my parents better, I believe growing up in my grandmother`s care is a blessing,” she said.

Her primary school education was not much of a challenge as her school, St Faith’s Primary, was close to where she lived.

The challenge started when she got to high school and she had to walk a long distance to school on a daily basis.

“When I started high school at St Faith‘s Mission, the biggest task was walking about two kilometres every day to go to school and another two kilometres back after school.

This required to me to wake up early as it took me about 45 minutes to get to school,” she said. Despite the distance, Kademaunga says her academic life was comfortable.

“At Ordinary Level, I had three As, four Bs and one C. I proceeded to do my Advanced Levels at the same institution and got 10 points,” said Kademaunga.

Currently, she is in fourth year reading for a degree in Social Work at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Growing up with her grandmother taught her to be self-reliant. She does household chores like cooking, cleaning, washing with ease.

“My grandmother always told me to do things for myself and her insistence has helped me in life. I do not unnecessarily ask people to assist me as I can do most things for myself,” she said, emphasising her ability to do things for herself.

“I regret not getting involved in sporting activities in primary school. I was limiting myself but I should have gone on to attempt. I ended up spending my free time at social clubs instead,” she said.

This helped her go through primary and high school without any special needs.

“I can write easily and throughout high school I used to write examinations at the same time as other students,” she said.

“Had it not been for the university regulation which awards students with special needs more time to write examinations, she would still cope with writing the examinations at the same time as the rest of the students,” she said.

Armed with a smile that exudes confidence, Kademaunga says she is never afraid to get involved in the same activities as her able-bodied counterparts.

“I grew up playing games like pada, nhodo and chisveru with other kids in Rusape. “This taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to and my life has turned out for the better because of that belief,” she said.

Kademaunga spoke highly of her boyfriend, Jacob, whom she described as her pillar of strength.

“Jacob treats me like a special person and when I am with him I feel at peace. He does not care about out difference in height, he still affords me my respect,” she said.

Whenever they are out together people give them inquisitive looks but she has since developed a thick skin.

“January 12 this year will be our one year anniversary, because of the time we spend together I have become used to the stares whenever we are in public,” she said.

With their relationship unfolding following Cupid`s script, distance does not worry them when Kademaunga is in Cape Town.

“My boyfriend is studying at Solusi University while I’m in South Africa. He comes to see me every now and then. I also take every opportunity I can get to come to Zimbabwe so that I can see him and my family,” the last born in a family of three boys and two girls said.

She says her encounters with her boyfriend`s family have been encouraging, as they treat her with respect.

“I have only met my boyfriend’s sisters and every time I am with them, they make sure that I am comfortable. That makes me feel very special,” she said.

Kademaunga says she hopes to have two children with her boyfriend if fate allows them to settle after they both complete their studies.

Her journey has been punctuated with perception, a reality which gives her a bitters-weet relationship with religion.

“I love church because when I go there I hear inspirational messages and I feel at home with people who are preaching love and peace,” she said of her devotional side.

However, she dreads meeting wayward churchmen who usually get tempted to attempt “exorcising” her every chance they get.

“Men of God who try to pray for me because of my height disappoint me, I am comfortable in my height and skin. Just because I am shorter than most people it does not mean that I am demon infested,” she said with a stern face.

The stares some of her church mates give her when she attends services also worry her.

Despite having a smooth academic run she has established herself as a leading voice for disabled in cyberspace.

What an able-bodied person can do, Kademaunga can do and instances do it even better.

Recently, she was honoured with a Courage Award by the Zimbabwe International Women`s Award for exhibition of bravery as she shared her life on her blog.

“The people from ZIWA selected me for the award after reading my blog in which I talk about myself, experiences and challenges, especially growing up in my grandmother`s care,” says Kademaunga.

She says she started her blog with the aim of shifting the world`s mindset as they interact with people with disabilities.

“I have always wanted to tell my own story instead of waiting for other people to speak on my behalf. This prompted me to start the blog which has been receiving warm responses,” she said.

Kademaunga is worried by the gap in interaction between people with disabilities and the rest of the society.

She said: “There are people with disabilities who prefer to live their lives in isolation, they do not want to interact with people who do not have disability in their lives.”

Although it was not easy writing about her life on her blog, she says she had to take the risk to raise awareness.

She intends to pursue her studies after she completes her undergraduate studies, specialising on issues affecting people living with disability.

“After I finish reading for my honours degree I would like to proceed to do a Master’s Degree in Disability Studies. Focusing on issues to do with accessibility and equal opportunities,” she said.

Her wish is to see a world where people with disabilities are not treated with exaggerated sympathy or like charity cases.

For a person who has never bothered to get diagnosed to get the proper medical term for her condition or even attempting to measure her height, Kademaunga is comfortable as she is.

With her passionate approach, she has high prospects for the future.

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