TSHITAVHA – Who ever thought that a former rural barefoot poor blind kid would end up being a respected university graduate? Despite his blindness, Azwidohwi Ramagoma (37) of Tshitavha-Sambandou village, north of Thohoyandou, has proved that disability has never been a stumbling block to academic success.

The blind educational eagle completed his BA degree and UED with the University of Venda. He continued to let his critics eat humble pie by graduating with an honours degree in linguistics with the same institution recently. He used his disability grant to finance his first year of university studies until the Department of Labour offered him a bursary in his second year.

Although he is still unemployed, Ramagoma says he is happy because he has managed to set an example to other disabled people, who only wait for the government’s disability grants, rather than doing something to improve their lives.

“I started my schooling at Tshilidzini Special School in 1980. It was not easy because I had to leave my village to start a new life in a new environment. Things became more difficult when I left Tshilidzini Special School to further my education at Tombolagole High School, in my home village in 1991. I had neither a Braille machine nor a typewriter, but I was desperate and thirsty for education. It was tough when the time for exams came because I had to rely on someone to read questions for me, while I replied verbally and that person had to write my answers on the answer sheet, but under strict supervision. Life became easier when I was presented with a typewriter by the Department of Health in 1992 and my education became simple as I could type examination answers on my own.”

Ramagoma is married to Sylvia, who teaches at the local primary school and the couple has three kids. He is also a renowned vocalist, a guitarist and a keyboard wizard. He says most employees still believe that people who do not see are unproductive.

“I am a qualified linguistics teacher, but it is very difficult for me to get a job. If I had eyesight I would have been employed already. The attitude of classifying us as outcasts is unacceptable as we are already disqualified from getting a job by our disabilities. We need to be treated like other people because we did not choose to be disabled.”

He says he passes his gratitude to his former classmates, teachers and university lecturers who gave him support until he had completed his studies. “Those have always been the pillars of my strength and I will never forget to thank them. I encourage other disabled people to take education seriously to prepare themselves for a fruitful future based on academic excellence,” he concluded.