‘Empower the physically challenged’
A 23-year- old Mutare based physically challenged man is pleading with relevant authorities to empower people living with disabilities.
His plea comes after he realised that some physically challenged people were beggars.
Tendai ‘Boss Tindo’ Mazuru cried foul over people who take advantage of them and squander benefits which are meant for them.
“People with disabilities roam around the streets begging, which we should not be doing but situations push us to do so.
“We have so many people in the streets with talent. Why can’t we take those people and ask them what they are able to do?
“We need to see these people being assisted because we cannot have such people in the streets; they are also human beings. They should be fending for themselves,” he said.
Mazuru expressed frustration over the way the physically challenged people were taken in the society. “Lockdown came and affected us; during the first 21 days lockdown no one helped us.
“We had our names written down for some benefits but nothing came.
“We have not been helped and now another lockdown has come; who will help us? Are we going to be beggars until 2030?
“It’s painful; we get deaf ears.
“Since 2014 I was promised a residential stand but nothing came; is it because I am disabled?
“Those people who claim to represent us are not for us and we are seeing many people with disabilities without help.
“I don’t know how God made it to that extent where I rarely see a physically challenged person who is rich.
“We are not considered, everything needs money,” he added.
He pleaded for support.
“Do not always to give us the fish but teach us how to fish.
“For how long shall we continue to beg? At least we need to do something to sustain us. I cannot take children to school with food or hampers.
“It’s sad to see people with disabilities, old women begging in buses, and they get out without being helped.
“This is our cry. We are also humans and our children should go to school.
“It’s a disadvantage to us especially during this rain season.
“We need capital to start small businesses.” Mazuru runs Tendai Mazuru Foundation for People with Disabilities and Disadvantaged Persons.