Disability inclusion advocate Lydia Etii Ajwang has shared a deeply personal account of growing up without her father and navigating progressive hearing loss, revealing how the two experiences have shaped her life and career.
In an emotional social media post, Lydia reflected on losing her father at a young age, saying she only truly understood the weight of his absence as she grew older.
“My father passed away when I was still a little girl, but I felt his absence most as an adult,“ she wrote.
Lydia explained that her father’s absence became even more profound when she began experiencing progressive hearing loss.
“When I began experiencing progressive hearing loss, I missed him more than ever. His absence was too loud. His silence was too loud,“ she said.
She described the diagnosis as the beginning of a difficult journey marked by confusion, stigma, discrimination, self-doubt and fear.
According to Lydia, she often wished her father were still alive to reassure her that her disability did not define her and that she could still pursue her dreams.
“I wished he were there to tell me that I was still enough, that I would survive this, and that my dreams were still within reach,” she shared.
Lydia said losing a parent in childhood is a lifelong experience that resurfaces at every major stage of life.
“Losing a parent as a child is painful, but growing up without them means grieving them over and over again at every stage of life,” she wrote.
She also revealed that hearing loss changed many of her personal relationships, saying some people drifted away because they did not understand what she was going through.
“Hearing loss also took away many of the people who were once close to me. Most of them did not understand what I was going through, and that loneliness became part of my journey,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Lydia credited the Mastercard Foundation for helping her rebuild her confidence and career through its Young Africa Works programme.
She said the programme provided opportunities that recognised both her abilities and her disability, allowing her to feel included and valued.
“They helped me build my career when I was struggling to find my footing. They also understood the disability side of me, not as a limitation, but as part of who I am. They created opportunities where I felt seen, included, and valued, and for that I will always be grateful,” she wrote.
Her story has resonated with many social media users, who praised her courage in speaking openly about grief, disability and resilience, while encouraging greater awareness and inclusion for people living with hearing impairments.
