UP CLOSE … with Ebrahim Dodin, a 22-year-old with a disability and a big dream to succeed in life |31 July 2018

 ‘Don’t let your disability weigh you down, use it to show your strength’

Aged 22 years old he is just like any young man his age -- full of life, with an extraordinary sense of humour, a passion for music, he likes football and athletics and his dream is to succeed in everything he does in his life in spite of having a  disability which he says cannot prevent him from being successful.

He is Ebrahim Dodin and he lives at Belvedere. He has a disability which he brushes aside and seems barely aware of in his effort and great desire and enthusiasm to succeed in everything he tries his hand at to prove that he is as normal and able as everybody else his age.

For the past couple of months he has been working at the Stores & Supplies unit at the Ministry of Education under the URS scheme and he is so happy about this achievement.

Ebrahim’s job is to help keep records by entering with utmost precision in the records book the requisites from the store as requested by the different schools  before accompanying other senior staff members on the delivery rounds in the schools.

When I caught up with him just before noon on Friday Ebrahim had just returned from one of those rounds and he was eager to recount everything to me.

“I really enjoy what I am doing here and everyone is very friendly and makes me feel welcome and they teach me how to do the work as I am supposed to do. I feel proud of myself for what I can do. I am just like them. I find the job quite easy and I also answer the phone and assist clients,” Ebrahim said proudly.

Before this present job, Ebrahim spent three years at the Rehabilitation Centre where he learned art and textile as well as other handicraft work.  But Ebrahim wanted a real job to earn his own money like any young man his age.

“I got a job at the DA’s office at Plaisance where I was a messenger delivering dispatches as well as carrying out other office work including typing,” said the young man.

Asked why he left the job only to start looking for another one, Ebrahim was vague in his reply but only affirmed that he is happy in his present job and will always be grateful to his friend Naddy Zialor who made the contacts for him.

“Naddy is a good friend of mine and he too has certain disabilities but he has secured a good job,” Ebrahim said with excitement.

Raymond Coralie, the stores & supplies director under whose supervision Ebrahim works, noted the young man is so keen to prove himself and he treats him like all the other employees but noted that while mindful of his disability and the fact that there are certain tasks that he will not be able to do, Ebrahim otherwise has to abide by all the work place regulations like any other employees.

Mr Coralie said the young man is very hard working and shows the desire and eagerness to learn new things and he is a fast learner too. This was strongly confirmed by Manty Dufrene and Gerard Sinon with whom Ebrahim works closely every day. Both men said Ebrahim has got a lot of potential and he is meticulous in what he does.

“He is attentive, he learns fast and for the short time he has been with us I am really satisfied with his performance,” said Mr Coralie, noting that he will not hesitate to take him permanently on his team if the ministry decides to make a position available for him.

Childhood, family and life

The eldest of five children -- three brothers and a sister -- Ebrahim described his childhood as a normal one in spite of his physical disability which he brushes aside and describes as “not very serious”.

But how do people around him accept him? “Half, half -- some people will act as though my disability does not make any difference to them in any way and this makes me happy while others will stare at me before avoiding me, many young students will often laugh at me or make snide remarks which can be very hurtful at times but I am used to that and I am big enough not to let these affect me anymore,” Ebrahim pointed out sadly.

Ebrahim believes he is lucky to have good workmates who treat him like an equal and with the respect he deserves.

“They are all so friendly with me and very understanding too,” said Ebrahim.

Inclusion of disabled in society 

In her message to mark the National Day for Persons with Disabilities on July 11, the Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue noted that, “International Human Rights laws including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Seychelles is a party to since 2009 promotes societies that include all its people and provide standards to which its member states must adhere. Recently, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities examined Seychelles’ status of implementation of this Convention. It is clear from the recommendations made by the Committee that efforts must continue and in some areas be intensified if persons with disabilities are to be able to participate actively in society. One particular area which needs focus is accessibility”.    

“We cannot continue to marvel in the success of persons with disabilities in other countries who are able to overcome barriers and achieve their dreams. We must also be committed to making the dream of our own citizens with disabilities a reality,” Minister Larue stressed.

“It is this commitment that needs to be upheld by all,” Ebrahim averred when asked for his opinion.

While admitting that society has done a lot to improve the conditions of the disabled, he believes the time has come for everything to be reviewed to meet present day realities and for education and awareness campaigns to be renewed and stepped up with vigour as society seems to be losing its sense of compassion and understanding for the plight of this group of more vulnerable citizens.

“There needs to be more campaigns to educate society especially the young children on the plight and rights of disabled people.  I feel there is a lack of awareness and education on the situation of the disabled. I come across many unpleasant situations which make me feel bad and rejected but I have a strong character and personality and I always pull through,” he added, noting that with increasing level of social ills, which are more and more impacting on good values and morals of our society, he fears that there will be less and less respect for and recognition of the rights of disabled people if society does not step up its effort to uphold the right of this group of people.

Passion for music, admiration for musical instruments

Ebrahim has a great passion for music and similar admiration for different musical instruments and can play the keyboard and bass guitar very well having learnt to do so from his grandfather, himself a musician.

“All the time I have when I am not working I listen to music and I also practice and sing the songs I love very much. My favourite singer is Joseph Louise because his songs are full of morals and are all based on everyday life situations most of which one can easily adapt with and see oneself in. I admire him a lot. But like any young people, I also have my favourite young artist and he is Fastidious,” Ebrahim revealed.

Ebrahim has started to make his own music and writing his own lyrics.

“I have quite a few songs which I have written myself and recorded at Peter Jules studio. He has made most of the musical arrangements and I keep my recordings on my laptop and my dream is to have them on an album one day if I get a sponsor but I am not ready yet as I am still working on them, polishing them up. I sing on a variety of subjects such as love, life issues and spirituality,” Ebrahim pointed out.

Leisure time, activities

Apart from music Ebrahim’s other love is sports and he is at the stadium every Sunday practicing with fellow disabled in the Special Olympics and his favourite sports are athletics and football.

“I really look forward to meeting my friends every Sunday,” said Ebrahim.

A former pupil of the School for the Exceptional Child, Ebrahim loves to paint and while still at school he received a prize for his effort in a Subios art competition and he has developed his skills further during the three years spent at the Rehabilitation Centre.

At home Ebrahim enjoys keeping abreast of current events on television.

“I watch the news and I enjoy watching telenovelas which are very entertaining and relaxing as well as cartoons,” he pointed out.

Ebrahim, who said he rarely does any cooking, admitted he always enjoys good food and his favourite dishes are grilled fish of any variety and lentils with salted locally made sausages which he said he can eat everyday accompanied by a variety of vegetables.

Ebrahim said he has many friends both from the disabled and abled communities and his dream is to also have a girlfriend and a family of his own but not now because at present he wants to remain focused on his music and his sports.

Ebrahim’s message for other disabled out there is: “Don’t let your disability weigh you down, use it to show your strength and to push to prove that you too can achieve great things in your lives.”

By Marie-Anne Lepathy