Often, they say someone’s personality is defined by character and values, not a condition – rich or poor, able bodied or disabled and this applies to Gislaine Teta, a 22-year-old graduate with hearing impairment but has a penchant for helping others, despite her own struggles to fit in a hearing world she once experienced. Teta became deaf at the age of 15, with the cause of loss of her hearing not determined up until this time but it has not deterred her from the person she has to be, expressing kindness to those who face the same challenges she faced due to her condition. Understanding how difficult and challenging it can be for deaf students to use public or school transport means; Teta took it upon herself to start helping them to easily get on the school bus as well as other manoeuvres in life. She knows many other areas where people with her condition are left out. “I was inspired to help people with disabilities because I understand what it feels like to navigate the world with a disability. I want to create a sense of safety and support for those who may struggle like me,” she says. Often, unless you know that a person is deaf, it can be pretty difficult to tell, let alone understand the challenges they face, including communication difficulties, social isolation, stigma and many other intricacies people with hearing impairment face. ALSO READ: Five things Rwanda has done to promote deaf women's rights It also goes without saying that these are challenges they can’t share with others and often have to cope with whatever conditions. However, for some like Teta, disability is a source of strength, faith, self-belief and kindness, which is exhibited in helping those in need. Traditionally, being deaf would be associated with a number of negative perceptions and stereotypes as well as demeaning names - ‘igipfamatwi’ and ‘Ikiragi’ and many other connotations which often led to shame, mockery, stigma, low self-esteem and isolation, much public awareness in recent years has changed things – to a certain extent. Teta recently graduated in Arts and Creative Industry from the University of Rwanda (UR) and is currently dedicated to raising awareness about deafness and helping persons with disabilities, to make sure they don’t suffer the same challenges she faced growing up. Fair to say she still does even up to today “I spent many years in self-isolation and it was hard to keep up with the hearing world. That's even why I decided to focus on this subject,” says the bubbly young woman, currently doing her internship with Uwezo Youth Empowerment Rwanda In her final year, she focused her research on challenges deaf people face, titling her dissertation “The role of Artistic expressions in Communication and the mental health of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. ALSO READ: New initiative to empower deaf women with vocational skills It was not a coincidence. It is research that was based on the difficulties she has encountered herself and would wish to see the situation improve, to make life easy for her compatriots, who often feel left out and isolated in many ways. “I know how left out we feel in the world of art because we're visual beings while Art is not solely visual and I found solutions,” she says, adding that hers has been a journey of self-learning and adaptation. “I was born hearing and lost my hearing at 15. The cause is still unknown. It has been a journey of adaptation and resilience. I’ve been living with hearing difficulties for about seven years now,” she told The New Times. Her own experience has taught her many things and from that she developed the passion to help others and also try to be close to them, well knowing how isolated they can be. “My experience has given me a unique perspective on communication and connection. I often feel left out in conversations, considered rude or arrogant, and rely on others to get some information which has made me more empathetic towards others facing similar challenges,” Teta notes. Coping with living with a disability Teta shares that a specific life-changing moment motivated her to help others: she was able to hear during the first years of her life but later lost her hearing, giving her a unique perspective to compare the two worlds. Her own struggle to fit in the hearing society she was used to was a major motivating factor. She had not gone to a school for the Deaf or learn Sign Language in her formative years, which meant that she struggled even more to fit in. “I try hard to try to hear and sometimes I would feel alone in a crowded room. It made me realize how hard it is to be different. So, I decided to make others like me feel like they're not alone and that they're understood and loved,” she explains. Today, she manages her hearing impairment by using visual cues and by holding the hands of others with her condition, she is able to help them to be aware of their surroundings and pays attention to their needs, as she does with her own. “It’s about being present and attentive,” she says, adding that it is not to say that she or others no longer face challenges. She still faces challenges herself, despite trying her best to adapt to her new world. “One challenge I face is communication but I overcome it by using sign language for the deaf, gestures and letting the person know that I have a hearing impairment so they can raise their voice but also ensure that the person I’m helping feels comfortable and understood,” she says. In doing what she does and creating advocacy, she has encountered fulfilling moments that affirm her calling. “One memorable experience was last week, when I assisted a girl who was blind to get a bus to school and when she couldn't walk on the stairs, I carried her on my back. Her mom and her were so grateful and it felt rewarding to assist someone in need,” says the jolly 22-year-old, who still lives with both parents and siblings in Kimironko. “She was very appreciative and it made me feel fulfilled knowing I could help her get to school,” she says, adding that the fact that she can help others yet in actual sense she would have needed herself is something that makes her proud. “I feel proud. I didn't know I could assist others thinking I was the one in need of help but I did. It has also helped me feel more connected to others. For the community, I think it fostered a sense of capability, inclusion and awareness,” Teta observes. Her actions have inspired others and as she goes about her work, people approach her to thank her and encourage her while others declare to join the cause and start helping people with disabilities. That is even more rewarding. Living with a disability has helped her to understand the challenges others face, making more passionate about helping others whenever she can. Teta says this is something anyone can do, start small by volunteering at local organizations or simply offer assistance to those in their communities. There is almost no community without persons with disabilities. A call for a more inclusive society Often helping persons with disabilities is not about giving them money or making them dependent on you. Inclusion is mostly about making life easy for them and everything else follows. “Creating inclusive environments starts with awareness and education. Simple gestures, like offering help or being kind and patient can make a big difference,” she says, adding that she wants to continue with raising awareness for a change. “I aim to raise awareness through my social platforms about the importance of inclusion and educating people about Deafness highlighting the challenges we face and how they can help us to overcome them,” Teta says. ALSO READ: Sign language must be used anywhere for inclusive devt She says that communities can support people with disabilities by promoting inclusive policies, providing resources and fostering understanding through education and awareness. “Society plays a crucial role by empowering individuals with disabilities to make a difference,” concludes Teta, who envisages a better world for everyone, including persons with disabilities.
