BY: MARIAMA JANET DEEN
For some people, disability means you are limited. Society sometimes views disability as a deterring factor towards achieving the best life could give. Disability comes with so much discouragement, emotional trauma, uncertainty, possible loss of self-esteem and many other excruciating pains which make certain persons with disability so vulnerable. Sad; yet it only could take self-acceptance, hard work, striving through each day and someone as courageous as Hannah Sesay who was born with a handicap to beat societal perception.
About Hannah Sesay
Hannah is a 29-year-old Sierra Leonean who was born handicapped. Having a disability without knowing your parents is tough. However, most painful for Hannah was that she never enjoyed the warmth and love of a family.It could be demotivating, discouraging and most importantly one could be fraught with situations when someone with a disability might need siblings to lean on or a family to cuddle as she sails through societal challenges.
Of course yes! Sometimes so many questions come to mind. Maybe you were not the child the family envisioned or maybe you were not wanted since the inception of the pregnancy. Thinking about some of these questions, it is emotionally draining! Most orphans without any disability find it difficult to live through a day, more so in a third-world society like ours where one has to struggle for anything in life.
The life-story of Hannah started from a sad reality. Few days after she was born, she was taken to an orphanage operated by a Swedish organization named ‘Pa Lokko Orphanage Home’. After all the legal adoption procedures were completed, Hannah became one of the legal occupants.
On attaining the age to start schooling, Hannah attended the United Methodist Church Pa Lokko Primary School owned by the same orphanage home. She later attended the Harford School for Girls at Circular Road where she attained her junior secondary school education before the school later relocated to the provinces. She was admitted at the Saint Joseph Secondary School for girls where she did her Senior Secondary School education.
For Hannah it is all about education and empowerment. She is focused. Hannah has done so well for herself that she is presently at the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone striving towards obtaining her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood. Amazing right?
Has it been all flawless for Hannah?
CHALLENGES
Being a person with a handicap definitely comes with its challenges.
Hannah explained that she has gone through a lot. There were times when she had to question her existence. There were times when her self-esteem and confidence gave way to low self-worth and not believing in herself. There were times when the famous question came to mind; what if I was not born a handicapped?
When growing up she lived in isolation, segregation , charity and pity. She had to depend on friends and family at the orphanage home to help her through the daily activities. She was always seen as incapable of achieving greater things in life. Sometimes, people see disability as a personal tragedy , as a punishment for wrongdoing or as indicated for the lack of ability to behave as expected in society.
During her school days, Hannah dreaded the rise of the sun. Her friends would always make fun of her due to the way she walked. She couldn’t play nor mingle with them. Since childhood she had always wanted to fit in. The bullying still continues at the University where only the stares of people could shrink you. She has to deal with the pressure of waking up early to attend lectures which she is always late for because she can not walk properly and her using crutches to walk, struggling with transportation issues, definitely slows her down.
Hannah faced both emotional and physical challenges.
“I don’t mind people looking at me anymore. I have gone through so many hurdles which made me who I am today,” stated Hannah Sesay.
Hannah decided that her disability would not serve as a deterrent to her doing what she loves. Even though she is living with a disability and life has been so hard for her, she loves taking care of young persons and children.
She became a teacher at the Pa Lokko Primary School owned by the orphanage home she was raised in. Because of her hard work and seriousness, news went around that Hannah was the head teacher of the said school. She was always there to ensure the smooth running of the school and to solve problems when they occurred. Her disability did not deter her quest for the best. She became the center of attention, loved by both parents and their children.
However, Hannah wanted to explore and empower herself. She knew there were greater things for her to achieve. She was done limiting herself. Due to her love in taking care of children, she quitted working as a teacher to actually pursue a career out of it by getting a degree in early childhood.
Hannah became consistent and determined as ever to push forward. She became what people did not envision her to be. She’s so independent and has proven that no matter one’s situation there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
HER MESSAGE TO SIERRA LEONEANS WITH DISABILITY
‘’Put God first in whatever you do!! Don’t let your disability serve as a bar to you not pursuing your dreams. You can be whatever you want to be. You have the opportunity to become better just like the Sierra Leonean without any disability. Let’s change societal perceptions together!”- Hannah Sesay briefs.
Photo Credit: Moseray Koroma( Super Mos Photography): +23278145373/ +23288914840
