Looking Back: Courage, inventive mind beat handicap

The Herald, 22 May 1981

DOUGLAS Mvundura was born with severely deformed legs 23 years ago, but his inventive mind and determination to overcome his handicap have enabled him to get about on his own steam and gain a good education.

At the age of six, he was already building his first tricycle — a crude machine made from a cast-off junior tricycle frame, three metal wheels off old wheelbarrows, one pedal for his left leg and an old, uncomfortable saddle.

That took him three weeks to build in 1964.

Sixteen years later, he was still riding it to work and to evening classes at St Peters Secondary school in Highfield — a fair distance from where he lives in the Jerusalem section of the suburb.

Early last year, Douglas decided his old workhorse had done its fair share of work and set about making an adult-size tricycle. He completed it in June.

He says the second tricycle was more difficult to make because it involved buying the wheels and adapting it for his use, but it is more comfortable.

Douglas wanted to raise more money to pay for his evening classes and then had another idea — making a rifle.

With a hacksaw, a hammer, a pair of pliers and using scrap-metal tubing, he took three months to make a gun that shoots just as well as any .22 rifle, and takes the same calibre bullets.

He says he had been studying firearms while he worked at a shop that repaired guns.

“I only started on the idea because I had to find some way of earning money to help me continue with my classes. I am also trying to find something that can make me financially independent,” he said.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Being disabled is not a death sentence, and the end of the world as shown by Douglas Mvundura and other people living with disabilities. They use their inventive minds to overcome obstacles of being handicapped to fend for themselves and their families.

Many a time, we see beggars on our streets who claim incapacitation because of disability, what they need is a transformation of their mindsets. For disability is not inability.

There are many successful people living with disabilities who have made a name for themselves in various disciplines. They excelled because of willpower, support from families, organisations and positive thinking.