Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
FIFTEEN-year-old Tafadzwa Munyaradzi Gunde from Gwanda who was born with Trisomy 21, a genetic disorder commonly known as Down’s syndrome, has defied the odds stacked against him, by venturing into a thriving poultry project, which his parents helped establish.
Despite the societal stigma surrounding disabilities, Tafadzwa’s mother saw the potential in her son, believing in his ability to carve his own path. With unwavering faith and boundless love, she helped him establish the project.
With sheer determination and a heart full of dreams, Tafadzwa poured himself into the project. With guidance from his mother, he learned the intricacies of poultry farming, from building sturdy coops to caring for the delicate chicks.
Tafadzwa’s story highlights the importance of support and opportunity for individuals with disabilities. By establishing and managing a poultry project, he not only showcases his abilities, but also contributes to his community.
Tafadzwa received his first batch of 25 chicks in January and managed to nurture them until they were ready for sale. His mother took the money which he earned from selling the chickens and bought a second batch of 50 chicks which are now ready for the market.
While Tafadzwa has a challenge in terms of engaging in lengthy conversations, he is fully aware that he has a poultry project.
His mother, Mrs Geraldine Gunde said her son can feed the chickens, clean the fowl run, and knows how to take care of them.
“I was running a poultry project last year and I noticed that my son had an interest in the project. He was very active in feeding the chickens and taking care of them. I then decided to establish a poultry project specifically for him which he is now managing,” she said.
“I assist him here and there, but he is the one who is hands-on. I spend the better part of the day at work and my son is the one who feeds the chicken. In the morning when he wakes up he knows that he has to feed them.”
Mrs Gunde said whenever power goes off, her son knows that he has to switch over to their alternative source of power to keep the chicks warm.
She said she mostly assists her son with buying stock feed and selling the chickens.
Mrs Gunde said her son stopped attending school last year after they were advised to enrol him in a skills development programme.
“During his time at school, Tafadzwa loved agriculture and my wish is to help him further develop his skills in that field. My ultimate goal is to see him venture into a commercial horticulture project,” she said.
Mrs Gunde said the poultry project has helped develop her son mentally and physically.
“When I started this project for my son I wanted to prevent him from being an idle mind. My son has developed significantly ever since I introduced him to this project, and his brain is more active and sharper,” she said.
“He is now more independent than before, and no longer wants us to be doing things for him which he can manage on his own.”
Mrs Gunde said she has learnt a valuable lesson about living with a child with a disability.
“Instead of focusing on my son’s disabilities, I have learnt to focus on his abilities and to develop them. To eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities families should be the first people to render support so that they believe in the power of possibility,” she said. —@DubeMatutu
Online Reporter