Florence was born in what she herself discribes as ’a very humble back ground’ to Mr. and Mrs. Kayizzi Francis in Mukono district in Uganda in October 1983.  She was premature and in an incubator for three months.  Having developed fully into a baby, her parents realized ten days later that she could not see. They took her to the hospital for medical examination. Following four operations before the age of four years doctors failed to help her cornea to develop.  Florence told me her story:

The Doctor advised my parents to take me to a special school for the blind because he believed that I would never see and some doctors made unhelpful suggestions about the cause of my visual impairment; they said that perhaps my mother took pills that could have caused the miscarriage or that both parents had STDS - on medical examination they found none.

My mother accepted me as a child who was God-given and she said that God had a purpose for creating me the way I am.  Although she faced several accusations from my family members contending that she had brought a misfortune to the entire family and clan, that did not discourage her at all.  She loved me so much and took good care of me.

At the age of five years, she took me to school to start my primary education. My mother was a housewife and did not have any money. She had other young children and she used to knit table clothes from which she gained income for providing my essentials while at school. My father too realized that I could study but I was never the first priority. My first school was Spire Road Primary School in Jinja and I was there for only one year.

From primary two to primary seven, I went to Bishop Wills Demonstration School in Iganga district. My parents would always take me to school but without enough money to pay the fees. I used to sing so well and with that, I got a sponsor who paid for my entire primary education. I completed my primary education in 1996 with top grades.

I joined senior one at St. Francis School for the blind Madera in Soroti district with the help of Father Widmyre the then parish priest of MBIKO parish where my parents lived. He paid my fees for two years and when he was living for Kotido, he referred me to Lilliane foundation who paid my fees up senior six.  I got excellent grades at O level and joined Iganga secondary school for A level. I passed and got government sponsorship for law.

I joined Makerere university faculty of law in 2003 and graduated in 2008. While at the university, I held several leadership positions. I was a commissioner for national youth council elections, guild representative for C.C.E constituency, deputy speaker Makerere university disabled students association, minister for disability faculty of law, female youth representative on the national committee of NUDIPU, the national disabled people’s unioin in Uganda. I received a presidential award for being the best affirmative action student. I also pursued a post graduate diploma in legal practice though I still have some issues. I did my clerkship at the parliament of the republic of Uganda with the department of legislative services and my work was commendable.  During the three months at parliament, I drafted petitions, notices of motion, summarized acts and bills, and gave legal opinion/advice during parliamentary committees.

I attained other trainings with the British council as a trainer of trainees on debate to action and the millennium development goals which included proposal writing, project planning and management, and marketing among others. I was also trained by the African Union of the Blind on knowledge on democracy and development and this taught me issues of advocacy and leadership. With this training, I implemented a project in the central region of piggery and goat rearing which was very successful.

I also facilitate in schools to help build students self esteem and I am currently employed as a programme officer lobbying and advocacy at the Uganda Society for Disabled Children in Kampala.

My work involves advocating for the rights of children with disabilities, developing policies for the staff and the parent support groups, simplifying the legal instruments for the child rights clubs and the parent support groups, sensitizing these groups about the fundamental rights of children with disabilities, popularizing the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities whenever required. I also attend important meetings and workshops for the cause of children with disabilities and also make presentations on deferent topics on different fora.

I think Florence’s story speaks for itself which is why I have used her words for most of this blog post.  Sadly very few disabled girls in Africa are able to excel like this.   The Canadian International Development Agency puts it like this, ‘Women with disabilities are the poorest of the poor around the world and in ever sphere of life, women with disabilities in the developing world experience a triple bind; they are discriminated against because they are women, because they are disabled and because they are from the developing world.  There are few educational opportunities for disabled girls.  When there are opportunities for education in special schools, boys usually recieve them.  Women with disabilities expereince a high incidence of abuse – physical, emotional and sexual.  Since most disabled women are hidden away in homes, this often happens within the family.  The unemployment rate for disabled women in developing countries is virtually 100%’.

So you see Florence really is one in a million, and that, is why her story is so vitally importanat to me…..

By supporting our campaign you can help us make sure that many more disabled girls have opportunities to excel like Florence has.  In November she plans to climb Kilimanjaro with our fundraisers to help make a difference, can you help us to by signing our petition or even signing up to climb Kilimanjaro yourself?

The spirit in which John has set himself such an ambitious challenge is inspiring to me.  When I first came to work at AbleChildAfrica I’d never thought of undertaking physical challenges like these!  Yet here I am 6 years, a Marathon, a Triathlon and a Half Marathon later.  I hardly have the shape for it and, I have to confess, I dont always throughly enjoy it (!) but I love the discipline of setting yourself a challenge and going for it!  These physical challenges have taught me a lot about focus and determination and keeping going when the going gets tough.  I always say that as long as your ‘reasonably fit’ most people can physically achieve these challenges – yes they are hard and, you might not be fast – but your body can rise to the challenge!  The question is always whether your mind can rise to the challenge?  Whether you want to suceed enough?  When I was struggling (and I mean struggling) around Silverstone in the Half Marathon earlier this month I quite literally kept myself going by thinking about the people we work with.  By remembering the times when I have visited children in villages in Africa who have been kept locked up inside because their parents are afraid and ashamed of their disability, by thinking of the women, mothers of disabled children who have given up their lives to change the lives of their children and by remembering that Anne, who had polio as a child in Africa herself was racing ahead of me and wouldnt be impressed if I gave up!

John will need all the mental courage and positive thinking he can muster to make it through 3 marathons this year.  Why not give him a push by leaving a comment on his website or a donation on his giving page.  Every little positive action – when they are all stuck together – can make the changes we want to see in this world.

Anne Wafula-Strike was disabled by polio as a child. Aged 30 (the same age I was when I completed my first marathon) she took up wheelchair racing and in 2004 when she became the first East African woman to compete in a Paralympic Games. Anne has first-hand experience of the difficulties faced by disabled children in Africa. She grew up in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, where she contracted polio at the age of two and was left disabled. Anne hopes to compete for the UK at the 2012 Paraolympics and here determination and positive spirit are also a great inspiration to me.

On Sunday Anne and I will take part in the Silverstone Half to support Lilly’s lie changing work. Find out more at here >>>