TALES OF COURAGE: I refused to let bullying break me

I was five years old when I last saw my mother. I remember she had brought me a pink dress. She died a year later. I often wonder what life would have been like had she lived but looking back at how far I have come in the last 26 years, I think she would be proud of me.

My name is Makena Kiamba and I was born with a missing left lower limb because of congenital malformation. Congenital limb defects involve missing, incomplete, abnormally developed or supernumerary limbs present a birth.

My parents separated when I was born and my mother remarried. She got a baby girl in the new relationship but my step-sister, too, died a year after my mother under mysterious circumstances.

Questions about the cause of my sister's death haunt me to date.

TOUGH EARLY DAYS

My early years were tough. The distance between home to school was 10km. It was a hilly, winding and rocky footpath so challenging does not even begin to describe the experience. I’d stop at intervals to rest and of course, get to school late. It earned me regular punishments such as cleaning a classroom alone or caning. My schoolmates would mockingly imitate my walking style and call me kathuo ( thelimping one). My walk stood out in the crowd and I always felt eyes boring into my back.

On seeing my tribulations, my aunt transferred me to Weasley Primary School where I sat for my KCPE, scoring 352 marks out of 500.

I proceeded to Maua Girls High School. In the school, pupils would peep to catch a glimpse of my limb as I bathed. I had one prosthetic shoe all through.

Treatment of the defect consists mainly of prosthetic devices like my sole shoe. It is most valuable for lower-limb deficiencies. The prosthetic shoe thus became a part of me. Now it is rusty brown and soles worn out after wearing it continuously.

When I joined Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, I participated in social work in place of sports.

On most weekends, I’d visit children homes in Kakamega and I found it fulfilling. In 2013, I graduated with a degree in Disaster management and International Diplomacy.

I’m overwhelmingly thankful to my relatives. They didn’t hide me at home. My grandmother would say: I would never let this precious bundle be hurt by anyone and she’d never leave me  behind whenever she’d go to social places. She soothed me with songs and stroke my tiny back with her tender elderly hands.

BLOW TO SELF ESTEEM

However, bullying from my classmates in primary school dealt a blow to my self esteem. Many times, I’d walk back home sobbing. The bullies’ attitude had impact if I believed them. I worked hard to ignore them. I avoided boys, too. I was afraid of being in the wrong place, in wrong company and making wrong decisions.

Living without a father was hard. I felt rejected and it hurt my esteem especially when people would  gossip  about my condition insinuating that I  was fatherless because I was a source of bad luck.

When I decided that his hollowness and toxicity should not spell a doom in my life, I became stronger. I’m now all grown up, a fighter and a go-getter.

One day in 2015 at KNH Orthopaedic Department as I waited for my prosthetic limb, I had a chat with a lecturer from Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi. He was surprised to see how comfortable I was with my artificial limb. He later invited me to talk to some disabled ladies. People living with disabilities do not face challenges because they are cursed or done wrong .

They can maximise on alternative strengths. One either becomes a victim of circumstances or a victor of circumstances.

I encourage people to strive no matter how hard their situation. When you hit a bump, jump higher.

I have unlimited capacity to achieve any feat, so is everybody. I expend  my energy, passion, innate abilities, knowledge and  experience to  give my  absolute best  at work  and every life’s facet.

I hope to start a movement to empower orphaned boys and girls. I admire CS Amina Mohammed. She is bold, bold, down-to-earth and diplomatic. I hope to meet her someday.

I wish my mother were alive today to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day in March as I marry my fiancée and best friend.

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