Loss of sight proves spur to aid others
Blind man helping to turn lives around
WITH a permanent smile on his face, a humble nature and determination to make a difference, a Uitenhage man has not only overcome disability but is seeking to make other lives brighter. After being poked in the eye by a teammate at a warm-up school rugby match, Sonwabo Somyali, 33, of KwaNobuhle, was left blind as a teenager.
The accident not only ended his hopes of pursuing sports but also changed life as he knew it.
Somyali is completely blind. His other eye was weak from a young age and the accident resulted in sight in both eyes being lost. At only 17, Somyali had to rewire his entire life and become independent.
He recently moved into his own flat in Zwide, which he said was not an easy road as the visually impaired become easy targets for criminals.
“We were busy preparing for a rugby match [at school] and during a tackle one guy put his finger in my eye,” he said.
“Because my eyes weren’t that strong to begin with, it affected my sight. It was painful then but I only went to the doctor after three days because I didn’t think it was serious.
“My life changed a lot. I lost many friends as well as the spaza shop I started at home. “But my life changed in many more ways.” Somyali works as a switchboard operator at the Boardwalk. “I love my job. It was something I prayed about and it is my passion to be working with people,” he said.
He works on a screen reader system that assists blind people to work the computer and transfer calls to various departments.
“It brings me joy to be doing what I do because people pick up on my spirit and it helps me brighten their day.
“I have a good understanding of how computers work because I studied computers at school, so the only thing I need to memorise is the extensions for the departments.”
Somyali said that because of the difficulties he had faced, he decided to help others suffering from sight impediments.
“I wanted to give others a chance at regaining their self-confidence and develop or upgrade life skills to become independent.”
In 2010, he started the successful Help The Blind and Partially Sighted (HEBPSO) centre which has ensured the placement of many candidates in learnerships and employment programmes over the years.
“I did this to give to those who had not been recognised, who have not been given a fair chance in life and especially those who lost confidence due to their lack of sight.
“We decided to start up the centre to help blind or partially sighted people to gain basic skills like reading braille and to upgrade the living conditions of blind people to help them continue with life and be independent,” he said.
Somyali said HEBPSO had restored his confidence in himself and provided scores of people with opportunities.
“But we still need more financial help for this organisation to grow and reach those kids in the rural parts of the Eastern Cape.
“My wish for every blind person is to have a good lifestyle and reach absolute independence. I really do not wish anyone to be failed by a system the way I have.”
His dream is to turn the centre into a topclass school and see it grow from early childhood development centre level to adult basic education and training centre level.
“It is not easy doing this kind of work, especially because I am blind as well. This project has built me many enemies.
“I had a petrol bomb thrown in my window once as a prank.
“We are being left behind because when people are not courteous towards us we have to defend ourselves.”
HEBPSO has two annual projects – a talent show for blind people in April and a fun walk to raise awareness in October.