An 82 year old disabled man from Lwandeti ward in Lugari sub county, Kakamega County had a reason to rejoice when he received a wheelchair from a well-wisher after crawling for 76 years.
Simiyu Wamacho who lives in the remote village of Maturu was paralysed in 1945 after suffering from polio and left to move by crawling.
According to Mr. Timothy Sakwa Majja a resident of the neighboring Likuyani sub county, he was touched after seeing the disabled man struggle to crawl in the mud before forcing him to intervene and help him.
“It had rained heavily and while on my way to Likuyani, I saw Mr. Simiyu near Maturu polytechnic struggling to crawl in the mud on his way back home and I was really touched. I stopped and took a photo which could help me source for assistance,” said Mr. Sakwa.
He said he approached Mr. Bright Kyadiva, the CEO Phanicey foundation, a non-governmental organization which helps people living with disabilities and those disadvantaged in the society who after seeing the photo agreed to give him the wheelchair to support his mobility.
“Now I know with this wheelchair Simiyu can move around, go to church, shop and even visit his friends without any problem,” said Sakwa.
According to Simiyu’s uncle Mr. Patrick Juma, the octogenarian has one son whom the mother had hid him from the father due to his disability but after growing up, the son who is now 20 years old demanded to know his father before being directed to him.
He however thanked the mother for taking the son to school without asking anything from the family where he managed grade C- in the last KCSE examinations.
Mr. Juma has appealed to well-wishers to support the son to join college so that he can acquire skills that will enable him to get employment and support his father.
He said the son who is currently employed as a farmhand by one of the residents in Webuye has shown interest in supporting his disabled father.
On his part Simiyu thanked Mr. Sakwa and the Phanicey foundation for the wheelchair which will save him from crawling.
“I don’t know how to express my joy but the wheelchair has come to liberate me from crawling like a child,” he said amid tears.
He said he would now be able to move around freely with the wheelchair and even engage in the cobbler business to sustain himself.
