“How is paraplegia taking you?” That’s what I asked my fellow paraplegic, Nawa. “It sucks big time,” he said. And I laughed. Then I asked, “Can we bitch about it a little?” Because sometimes, bitching helps. Complaining helps. Saying it out loud helps. And so we bitched — about bodies Read more…
Before surgery, I was terrified. The kind of fear that eats at you in silence. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, wondering if this was the end of my life as I knew it. Would I ever walk again? Would my legs carry me out of that hospital bed? Read more…
A few weeks ago, I found myself at Kasarani Indoor Arena, about to watch the Kenya Wheelchair Basketball team in action. I didn’t really know what to expect. Part of me thought it would be slow or quiet. Oh, how wrong I was. I’ve been a wheelchair user for years. Read more…
They told me to be quiet about my disability.That if I didn’t speak it, maybe it wouldn’t be real.That talking about it would make it worse, like acknowledgment was a curse.That the more I embraced it, the less likely I’d ever walk again.So I stayed quiet. At first. I silenced Read more…
What happens when the place you go to seek help is the very place that shuts you out? How? Well, let me tell you a story about the most inaccessible office I have been to and how that inaccessibility made me feel. Over the weekend, I went to apply for Read more…
Mental health isn’t always a visible battle—but last weekend, mine screamed in silence. I didn’t want to see anyone. I didn’t want to get out of bed. I wanted the curtains drawn — all super dark, no lights, no nothing. I wanted to lie in silence and let the stillness Read more…
There’s something dangerous about desperation — a silent vulnerability that opens doors we’d normally keep shut. It makes us reach, grasp, and cling to promises we might otherwise question. And when you live with a disability in a society that glorifies walking, standing, and “looking able,” that desperation can be Read more…
A wheelchair is more than a piece of equipment; it’s freedom, dignity, and a right to movement. Yet, in Kenya, this symbol of independence is often treated as a privilege—one that is difficult to access, expensive to maintain, and, at times, outright unsuitable for the user. For many, the journey Read more…
Where I come from, disability or rather paralysis isn’t just a medical condition; it’s often seen as a sign of demon possession. Yes, you read that right. If life was good before an accident or illness, people are quick to believe that something sinister caused the misfortune. And like I Read more…
As I write this, I am lying in bed nursing a relentless backache that seems to mock my every move. The pain is sharp, almost as if it has taken residence in my body, reminding me of all the things I cannot do at this moment. It’s easy to feel Read more…