Living with any form of disability can be challenging, especially when it comes to people’s perceptions of what you’re capable of. However, as they say, disability is not inability.
I was born with deformities and have struggled for long to fit in the ‘normal’ world and compete with able-bodied people.
I started out making a living through gospel music, but it was a challenge. After releasing a track, I’d wheel myself around selling CDs.
However, my movements were highly limited as I don’t use a motorised wheelchair, which means I needed help getting up road inclines.
It would take long to sell my stock. I’d use the money I earned to go back to studio, record a new song and hit the road again.
While selling my songs, I met someone who appreciated these efforts and got me on a different path by giving me capital to start a clothes business.
I’ve been doing this for a couple of months now, though I still record gospel music.
Both of these hustles are not without their hurdles.
Not every recording artiste can raise funds to produce an album. I also don’t get as many invites to perform as more able-bodied artistes who can electrify a stage with their dance moves.
And with the clothes business, I don’t get any special favours from county authorities; my business is treated like any other entrepreneur’s.
I depend on others to pack and unpack the clothes I have on display.
While the earnings from the music business vary too much to find an average, when it comes to selling clothes, in a good day, I’ll take home Sh700, though there are some days I close the shop without registering a single sale.