Can you imagine a kindergarten child of five years going to school and returning by herself without an adult’s supervision?
For Zakiyatu Osman, this was her reality, and it ultimately led to a life-changing accident when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while attempting to cross the street alone.
“I was very young, but I still remember that, on that fateful day, with no adult in sight, I attempted to cross the street by myself and was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver,” she recalled with emotion. The crash subsequently resulted in the amputation of a foot.
Ms. Osman, now a 31-year-old Mobile Money Operator, recounted the tragic experience, feeling it was unfortunate for her to have been left to go to school alone and more terrible for the driver to have sped off without caring about the possible consequences of his action. “He didn’t care. He left a poor little girl there and continued his business. Did he even consider that if I survived, there would be bills to be paid? But for some persons with good hearts who took me to the hospital, I could have lost my life,” she said with an appreciative tone to those who came to her rescue.
As a result of her experience, she has been vigilant, looking out for children who use the streets alone, and assists them whenever possible she said in an interview with this reporter on Tuesday at Ashaiman. “I discourage parents and guardians from leaving their children unattended. What could be more important than your child or ward?” she questioned.
Her voice cracked as she recalled the traumatic event, which still felt like yesterday. She disclosed that, while admitted to the hospital, her guardians requested her discharge for “home treatment” due to the overwhelming medical bills. She said, that decision unfortunately, worsened her condition. “My foot deteriorated, emitting a foul smell, among other painful experiences, which necessitated the amputation of my leg,” she said.
“The news broke my father’s heart. I wasn’t under his care because my mother had passed away, and a family member had taken on the responsibility,” she clarified.
The resident of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region remembered struggling to regain her confidence after the accident, fearing how her classmates would treat her. She said she stayed out of school for months but eventually mustered the courage to return with the help of crutches.
“After many months of absenteeism, I encouraged myself and decided to put the incident behind me and moved on. Although my classmates had gone ahead of me, that didn’t bother me much,” she said. She blamed the situation entirely on being given her “freedom” too early, which she believed came at a “terrible cost.”
“No child deserves to experience what I did. I therefore appeal to parents, guardians, drivers, and school authorities to be more vigilant and supportive to save our little ones who need us always. We shouldn’t fail them because this is unforgivable,” she said sternly.
Sharing some of her challenges as a Person With Disability (PWD), Ms. Osman lamented stigmatization. “Some people claim we are not ‘100 percent’ and so should stay away from those who are. Such comments hurt badly.” She said, however, over time, she developed resilience, allowing her to confront insensitive people head-on.
“I face them squarely now,” she declared. “I won’t let you disrespect me because my situation isn’t a choice I made, but an accident. I remind them that they could equally find themselves in my situation, and interestingly, they take that more as a curse than a caution,” she said smiling.
The native of Savelugu in the Northern Region also shared the challenges of finding love as a PWD. “I have had four serious suitors, but their families weren’t ready to accept me because all they see is a person with one foot. This killed whatever enthusiasm they had in the relationship, and so it always died a natural death,” she revealed.
Despite this, she remained hopeful that love would find her again and lead to marriage.
In a heartfelt appeal, Ms. Osman called on the public to stop stigmatising PWDs, especially regarding marriage and employment opportunities. “Give us a chance to love and to be loved and also to earn a decent living and support ourselves with dignity,” she urged.
She also advised PWDs to “package” themselves well to avoid disrespect and being seen as beggars.
“I remember that in 2013, I saved money to get a prosthetic, which boosted my confidence. I encourage those who can afford it to get one to aid their movement and make them feel better,” she said, also calling on public-spirited persons and corporate institutions to support PWDs with such devices.
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