Tanaka Chare
In a heartwarming display of passion and dedication, a local food scientist Agatha Chipatiso, has opened doors for an Inclusive cooking school, designed to empower people living with disability.
Speaking to this reporter, the scientist, emphasized the inclusion of people living with disability especially the deaf by introducing sign language whenever she hosts cooking tutorials.
“Every individual has unique abilities and strengths, I felt challenged in a way that I said to myself why can I not use my cooking skills to incorporate everyone with the initiative of using sign language or having a sign language translator.”
“In January of 2025, I joined Sunrise Sign Language Academy in Gweru where l am acquiring my sign language skills and it is a dream of mine to host cooking tutorials in sign language, I am happy with how it is turning out since I started attending the academy.”
John Vudzi (32) stated some of the challenges being faced by People with disabilities which include mental health issues.
“People with disabilities face mental health issues and depression due to communication barriers.
We do not have much knowledge about God because of the lack of Bible translators in churches which are regarded as safe spaces especially when we are depressed.”
“This then led me to start attending Seventh Day Adventist because they provide translators, this has helped me to be closer to God and I believe God created hands for communication.”
Vudzi added another challenge People with Disabilities are facing in prisons.
“There are quite several deaf inmates at Whawha prison due to them being wrongly convicted on crimes they did not commit and lack of legal representation from people who can communicate sign language.’
In an interview with this reporter, John advocated for inclusion in schools and healthcare.
‘People living with disability drop out of school due to stigmatization.
There should not be schools for the PWDs as this is a root cause of stigmatization.
We all should have access to the same education so that people have the opportunity to learn sign language.’
‘Pregnant mothers living with disability fail to communicate with doctors, resulting in miscarriages, infant mortalities and death of pregnant mothers.
Another challenge associated with Persons With Disability is unemployment since many drop out of school early due to them being seen as outcasts.
Often people do take advantage of us and not pay us after the completion of the job.”
People being unable to understand sign language, these marginalized groups often do not go to churches and social groups which are regarded as safe spaces because they do not care for their needs.
Sunrise Sign Language Academy came as a result of the tragedy.
In July 2012, tragedy struck the Mapeta family. During the 3 weeks, Mr. Mapeta became aware of a special group of people he had never consciously considered.
In the children’s ward, there were children with ailments of all sorts he noted the communication gap between the deaf children and the medical staff.
