Disability is not inability

Growing up as an able-bodied person, she had absolutely no idea of what fate had in store for her.
The resultant damage to her spine meant that she had to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. However, despite that doom, she has become a role model not only for people with disabilities but for many Zimbabweans.

Her name is Benhilda Marume, the former actress in the local soap, Studio 263, who played Tamara, Tom Mbambos’s little spoiled sister who stuck her nose in her brothers busi­ness. This week Saturday Lifestyle writer Win­stone Antonio (WA) caught up with the former actress and she opened up on how she emerged from the depths of despair to become a cele­brated actress.

WA: Most people only know you as Tamara in Studio 263 but obviously they are wrong, right?
BM: LOL, no, am actually Benhilda, a young girl born February 7 1982 in Bulawayo and she is the last born in a family of six with two boys and four girls. I did my primary and secondary educa­tion at Victoria Primary School and Vic­toria High School respectively in Masvingo. Currently, I am living in Zimre Park with my mom, sisters and brothers.

WA: May you take us down memory lane?
BM: At first I would regret taking that ride but as for now I do not pity my condition as it has left me stronger and now I believe the sky is the limit when it comes to achieving one’s dreams.
I grew up as an able-bodied person just like you, my brother, with no idea of what fate had in store for me. This is just something that comes along the way.
It was on the March 31 in 1999 around 3pm and I was 17 then, coming from a school trip with my sister, Sharon, who was also a teacher at the school. I was involved in an accident after the left rear tyre of the car I was travelling in burst and I was thrown out of the car and landed on a rock leaving me with a broken spine and paralysed.

WA: And you rose from that to still be some­one in society?
BM: It’s not all gloom and doom in the dis­ability world. Society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities have to change. Stigmatisation of people with disabilities is still rife. We would like to live normally but our environments are not conducive.
My dream is to see a positive minded Zim­babwean society, in which people are not dis­criminated against on the grounds of disability. People with disabilities must be given the same opportunities and encouragement to develop and grow into the kind of person they choose.

WA: Was acting always one of your ambi­tions?
BM: Acting was never in me and I never thought of becoming an actress in my life. Even while I was in school I was never involved in any acting but instead I was an athlete and I also used to do drum majorettes at school.

WA: Yet today you are an actress?
BM: Yes, I had gone to attend “This is Life” show which focused on the social problems of Aids and people with disabilities. After the show, I con­versed with the director of the soap, Godwin Mawuru. I commended them for doing a good job but indicated to them that they were some­how missing the point by leaving out the aspect of disability as the soap touched social issues like corruption, HIV and Aids.
They then asked me to put my ideas on paper and give them to Aaron Chiundura-Moyo, the creator of Studio 263. After that, they took me on board.

WA: What really motivated you to be on board?
BM: There was nothing much that I can say motivated me to join the Studio 263 except I wanted to demystify and bring out the life of peo­ple with disabilities into the open.
I wanted to bring out the fact that people with disabilities can live independently and that there is nothing abnormal about us. We can lead nor­mal lives, just like everyone else hence I took up the role.

WA: Interesting. Anyway, so how was your first acting scene?
BM: My first acting scene was really scary and I was with Tom. I recall that scene, it was also my first time to meet with Ben Mahaka aka Tom and he gave me words of encouragement and from there, the ball started to roll.

WA: Then you had to kiss Blakes on set?
BM: This scene was the talk of many, including my dad. He talks about it too. Anyway, if one comes to understand the world of acting, there is no much hassle to accept what the scene would be requiring one to do. However, you know with nature anything can happen but as for me I treated everything as acting with no strings attached.

WA: But there must have been some chal­lenges?
BM: Thankfully, I never encountered any dif­ficulties with the Studio 263 crew. Everyone was very supportive and eager to help and also to learn something about living with disability.

WA:  The soap must have changed your lifestyle then?
BM: Studio 263 opened a lot of doors for me. Although I was reserved before joining the soap, it, however, helped me to become more vocal and gain more confident in terms of addressing issues to do with disability.

WA: Have you quit the industry?
BM: Not as such, but it’s only that my sched­ule had become so tight when I moved to Mberengwa for the past two years. I just thought it will not be fair to inconvenience the shooting schedule so I just decided to take a break and I will definitely come back if every­thing is settled on my side.

WA: Your source of inspiration?
BM: I have drawn my inspiration from my mother, and the late Gladys Charowa, the for­mer executive director of the Disabled Women Sup­port Organisation, as they taught me how to fight and to be resilient at the same time.

WA: What are you doing at the moment?
BM: I am currently in my first year studying towards a Diploma in Social Work with the Women’s University in Africa till 2015.

WA: And back to your life, are you married or . . . ?
BM: I am single and I don’t know if I am being searched for because men are afraid of disabled women. However, I am comfortable with my cur­rent status.

WA: Did you happen to have a boyfriend before the accident happened and where is                  he?
BM: Yes, I had a boyfriend before being involved in that accident.
We were in a six-month relationship with my boyfriend and we continued dating for three years before we agreed to call it quits.

When I was at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre I witnessed some disturbing moments between once married couples after the woman got dis­abled.
I was really pained to see how women were neglected because of that situation I lost faith in marriage then I just decided to let my boyfriend go so that I don’t become a victim in future.

WA: And if it happens that there is an inter­ested candidate?
BM: They are welcome to submit their CVs (laughing). Since it is every woman’s wish to have a family, I would love to have a family if God pro­vides me with a good husband and have kids just like any woman in the society.

WA: How would you describe yourself?
BM: The difference between me and Tamara is that I am not as harsh as Tamara whom peo­ple use to know in the soap.
Many people wanted to identify me as a celebrity but I never carried it over my shoul­ders. I am friendlier, independent and sociable, as assertive as Tamara and I like going out just like other people.

WA: Hobbies?
BM: Reading novels, singing, dancing, and talking. I love talking, it’s a way of getting rid of stress, tennis and . . . basking in the sun.

WA: Leisure time?
BM: I enjoy watching sports like cricket, soc­cer and tennis. I am a diehard Chelsea fan and locally I support CAPS United Football Club

WA: Food?
BM: I am more of a salads person especially French salads and I also love braaing

WA: Motto?
BM: Despite my disability I will fly high.

WA: Words of encouragement to people liv­ing with disability in the society?
BM: Don’t let people look down upon you because of what you are but instead one has to stand firm for her or his rights.

WA: Thank you for your time Benhilda
BM: You are welcome