Challenge Makes the Man and, in this case, the Woman
By Francisco Manuel Tembe (famod@kepa.co.mz)
Lucia Suzete Simbine is a physically disabled person who made a lot of efforts to overcome barriers and to be what she is today. She faced many problems since becoming disabled due to polio in the very early stage of her life, but she always tried to do her best.
Now she is a lecturer of psyco-pedagogic, at the Pedagogic University in Mozambique and has kindly accepted to be interviewed for Disability World.
Francisco Tembe (F. T.): I would like to hear a bit about your history.
Lúcia Simbine (L. S.): I was born in a rural area, specifically in Manjacaze district, Gaza Province.
I started to study when I was seven years old in official school because my parents were assimilated persons in that time. After studying for 3 years, I got polio, then interrupted my studies in order to do treatment during 2 years.
After treatment, I returned to school, therefore, in Maputo city where I did the standard two and then I went to Gaza Province, where I did standards three and four in internal regime
F. T.: What kind of activities did you and your colleagues develop as extra curricula in that college?
L. S.: As extra-curricular activities we use to work in the field to plant rice, to look after cows and work on a sugar plantation.
F. T.: What happened to you when you finished the primary school?
L. S.: What happened.... was terrible, because I did not manage to get in secondary school and I waited up to 2 years without going to school due to lack of vacancy. Only in 1982 was I permitted to fill a vacancy at secondary school in Xai-Xai City, where I stayed two years in my relatives' home until completing the standard six.
In 1984, I was in another secondary school where I concluded the standard nine. Then I was accepted by the authorities to the teaching training college, but as I was facing many difficulties I asked to change the school to pre -school university, where I did the standard twelve and then I was oriented to High Pedagogic Institute, in order to be trained as teacher. I spent five years in this Institute and I completed the psychology and pedagogic course.
F. T.: Frequently, when a person becomes disabled, the family decides to isolate him or her. Did that happen to you?
L. S.: I do not think so. Because, for me since the first minute when I got sick, my parents looked after me and did as much as they could in order to see that my heath improved. As a result and although I became disabled, I improved immediately my state of heath and my father took me again to school.
I was admitted in hospital, and after that I was very weak and I could not walk but my father carried me on his back to the gymnastic at the physiotherapy and also to school.
One day my colleagues decided to talk to my father, then they began to stop by to take me to and from school, till I got a pair of crutches that I have used up to now.
Therefore, I can conclude that I was not discriminated against by my parents.
F. T.: Really, did you not undergo any kind of discrimination within the family or even at the schools? Are you sure?
L. S.: Look.... I must say sincerely that I felt none of this.... although, it is true that in primary school some colleagues use to look down at me, others with fear, and others with surprise, but most of them came and played with me. In general, I would say that most of the children helped me and they used to study and play with me.
F. T.: Many people with disability say they cannot find employment even if they are well educated or trained, because they can not compete in equal circumstances with non disabled people. Did you face the same problem?
L. S.: Not really. When I was in the High Pedagogic Institute, in standard five I did the work to assess the needs and developments in special education, then I presented the report to my tutor. She especially liked that work and asked me if I would like to be a lecturer in some institution. I showed a lot of interest in this. Therefore, in a way I asked permission for that and I was accepted, and in this way I am still at this institution as a teacher.
F. T.: How does it feel actually to be a lecturer in an institution where you were a student?
L. S.: Hah.... Very well, I thing that is wonderful, nevertheless, I would not say if I am well educated or not, but one thing is that like a fish, "I am learning swimming to swim", and I like to teach, learning it better by teaching in the University. Even if I was in a regular school it could not make any difference for me, because my thing is that nothing is better in life, than somebody to do whatever he or she likes, and I like to work directly with people
F. T.: How do you feel when entering in the classroom?
L. S.. As I said, I like to work with people. When I enter in the classroom from the first time I try to create a welcoming, good environment, therefore, my students are very happy with me. Although sometimes they call me "Horrible teacher" because I demand more responsibility from all of them and for me that is good in order to maintain discipline and respect during our works.
F. T.: Do you sometimes have students who are also disabled?
L. S.: I remember that since I started work as lecturer in 1995, I have had two disabled students, and they had good results.
F. T.: What can you comment today, about sacrifices you made to be where you are?
L.S: I thing it was very useful. I am social and economically independent because I have got my job which gives me dignity as a person.
F. T.: What message would you like society to have?
L. S.: First of all, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to tell you about my feelings in this area. For the parents of children with disabilities, I ask you to please provide them with the opportunity of school, because that is the only way that people with disabilities can become socially and economically independent.
To people with disability also, we must not let ourselves "be taken by water," without our own defined sense of purpose and direction. What can happen is that we as disabled people can make it easier to be discriminated against, because in our minds we feel incapable and begin to believe that there is nothing we can do.
I also call upon society to pay special attention to disabled women who normally suffer a double discrimination. Often, they must make many efforts in order to study instead of being prostitutes, from where you can have children without fathers and might also get sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.
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