Ability Beyond Inability – Women’s Voce Zimbabwe
Hudson Matabula from Kapiri village in Kariba Mashonaland west has become prosperous in farming,managing to provide well for his family despite him living with a disability. Matabula had an accident 10 years ago and his legs were damaged beyond repair and they were amputated.
By Lissah Munoti
Hudson has got a big family, a wife, and six(6) children. He manages all of this by digging conservation farming basins slowly each day over the dry season months until October comes by, overall every year he prepares 2 hectares during the dry season.
“I have accepted the situation and strive to work hard since l believe disability is not inability,l can bring food home unlike some people who say they are normal” said Mr Hudson.
Matabula practices conservation farming which has proved to be working well for him as a farmer.
“When the rains comes l will be in control and l benefit well from the better yields that are achieved when l can capture all of the season’s rain” he said
Mr. Hudson every year gets an average of 130-140 bags per hectare.
People living with disabilities are sometimes just as capable of doing extraordinary things as people who are not.Matabula did not let his disability hinder his growth but rather continued living a bright, inspiring, and successful life even though he faced so many impediments along his growth path of becoming a good farmer.
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Society needs to ensure that more and more people living with disabilities are afforded opportunities to realise their full potential in any area of life.
However, the Government should also do their part and empower the disabled in society and help eradicate the stigma that is associated with disability and poverty so that everyone has an inclusive and equal society.
Government should also provide services to the disabled so that they live an ordinary life as well as promoting their living conditions