adminSamuel Kadungure : Weekender Reporter
ATTITUDE is everything. This chronicles the revolutionary music journey of disabled artiste Prudence Mabhena, whose success story has challenged preconceptions about what wheelchair users are capable of. Born in 1987 crippled by Orthogryphosis, a condition that stiffens bones and erodes muscles and is similar to Muscular Dystrophy (MD) – Prudence wormed her way through turbulent waters to become a phoenix whose exploits now inspire those like her to push boundaries and create works that transform minds and inspire new collaborations.
Her talent was discovered in 1995 when she was doing Grade Two at King George VI when she penned her first song ‘Ithemba’ which means ‘Hope’ in which she articulates “hope for a better life” regardless of misery she went through at unkind hands of an abusive step-mother.
Prudence has formed ‘The Olive Singers’ with children at the Mount Olive Muscular Dystrophy Centre in Odzi – having signed in as the centre’s Goodwill Ambassador.
She learnt of the children’s plight at the Bulawayo Disability Expo in July 2015 and since then she has spent more than four months staying at the centre with the boys whose life is in danger because of the deadly DMD.
“I eat with them, pray with them, play with them and motivate them to have a positive attitude towards life despite their life threatening condition,” said Prudence.
She believes her experience with ‘Inkonjane Acapello Group’ and Liyana Marimba Band of King George VI will catapult The Olive Singers to stardom.
“These children are receiving treatment, rehabilitation and home-care at Mount Olive Mission Hospital Muscular Dystrophy Centre, which was officially opened on February 29. It’s about inspiring and giving them hope. Disability does not mean inability,” said Prudence.
Prudence believes her past success story can spur the new project to great success.
“In 1999, I was integrated into the ‘Inkonjane Acapello Group’ of KG VI where I gave a baritone (backing vocals) to Marvelous Mbulo. That year the group came first at the Imbongi Arts Festival. The following year we performed at the Dreams To Fame Festival at Amakhosi Theatre and came first. In 2004 myself and two others band members were selected to travel to Switzerland with the Amakhosi Crew where for three months, we performed several times in Zurich and Bern with the Hora Theatre. I was leading with background music for the stage theatre, so the experience is there, and the environment here is conducive,” Prudence.
In 2005 Prudence, still with KG VI formed the Liyana Marimba Band which participated in the Cross Roads International Competition in Bulawayo and came out first. It proceeded to represent Bulawayo at the Harare Competitions and came second. It went to represent Zimbabwe in Mozambique and came out first.
Their prize was sponsored trip to perform in Sweden, Netherlands and Belgium.
In 2008 Roger Ross Williams and Ellinor Buckette, American Film Producers helped Prudence to produce a documentary entitled ‘Music by Prudence’ that narrates her life story as a disabled person.
In 2010 her documentary was nominated among the best five to compete for the Oscar Award winning the Best Short Documentary award that saw her becoming the first Zimbabwean and second African to lay hands on the coveted prize.
Prudence spent the better part of 2010 screening the documentary in New Yolk, Florida, Colorado, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Baltimore etc.
Back home she was appointed the UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for children with disabilities.
In 2011 Prudence underwent a very acute surgical procedure at Denver Children’s Hospital which aimed at straightening her spine which had gone spiral as a result of scoliosis. A steel rod was inserted to reinforce her back. She also underwent another acute procedure to remove contractures from her hips so that she could sit upright, which she couldn’t do for many years.
“My decision to undergo the procedures was very risky as I had been warned that its either I could die during the operation, or become totally blind after the operation. The main reason I signed for the operations was that I had been warned that without the surgery I would die in 24 months. I praise God for the success of both procedures as I continue to shine as a music star,” said Prudence, who is also featured as a motivational speaker in Denver and Telluride and performed at the Mountain Film Festival.
Her theme for the motivational speech was ‘Disability is not Inability’.
In 2011 Prudence participated in a Music and Film Festival in Ireland Dublin.
She left KG VI in 2012 and launched her solo album titled ‘Ithemba Lami’, (My Hope) in 2013.
“Despite my own condition (disability), I have all the years remained committed to championing the cause of my counterparts with disabilities”.
Prudence owns a house in Bulawayo where she stays with some disabled children who attend school at KG VI.
She is personally assisted by Pamela Ntini (31) who has cerebral palsy, and Thulisile Mulambo (32) who is deaf.
Prudence grew up partly with her grandmother up to the age of five then she moved to stay with her step mother in Victoria Falls after her mother was divorced for siring a disabled child.
It was associated with witchcraft on the maternal side. In 1994 she enrolled at the King George VI (KG VI) School for the Disabled.
Since her grandmother and stepmother could not render her requisite physiotherapy at childhood, she was amputated both legs in 1995.
She completed her Ordinary Level at KG VI and passed English and Art with a B and C, respectively.
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