The first thing I always do when I meet my interviewee, I press the red button on my phone recorder not to miss out on a single word they utter out. However, meeting Timothy Egwelu, who uses more of his facial expressions and hands to communicate has given my still improving career a 360 degrees turn. Did you know that someone can actually read your lips to understand and communicate with you non-verbally? I guess not.
Egwelu is a student with a hearing impairment in his 4th year pursuing Land Surveying at Uganda’s second largest public university, Kyambogo and at the same time a first year Bachelor of Laws student at Uganda Christian University.
According to the statistics of the Uganda National Association for the Deaf (UNAD), Egwelu is the very first core engineering student and still the first deaf law (D-law) student Uganda has ever had. This practically means there hasn’t been an engineering student with a hearing impairment joining university straight on a bachelor’s but rather those that have done it have done certificates and diplomas before advancing to the bachelors level. I caught with Egwelu for a chat and it is transcribed below;
Were you born with this impairment?
No! It all started as a gradual loss of my hearing senses when I was 11 years.
When did you realise you were completely deaf and how did you go about it?
As I’ve said it was a gradual process until I joined Green Valley High School for my senior one, and when teachers realised I was having trouble hearing in class- even at a short distance, they advised me to seek medical attention.
And did you see the doctors ?
Yes I did visit Kampala Audiology and Speech Center where they administered a hearing device but it seemed like it was too late. It’s at that time I realised I was deaf.
What was your parents‘ reaction at that time?
Man, I suffered a lot because my parents are separated so they often tossed me around. But I need not to disclose this publicly.
Ohh I see. Atleast a little sneak peek into your description of tossing?
Tossing is when Mum would send you to Dad and then Dad also sends you back and forth just because they can’t meet your life’s basic needs, special individual education but I thank God I had someone to lean on.
Who gave you a shoulder to lean on?
The tossing actually went on till I met the Borufkas family that decided to take me up and offered me a study scholarship from my senior two.
Oh Glory back to God. How did you maneuver through this tough situation as a teenager with unco-operative and separated parents?
I was in Senior one at the time and as a determined teenager, I had to forge my way through. I used to go work on building sites to raise my scholastic requirements until Senior two when I went looking for a good deaf friendly school.
And how successful was the search?
I came across a newly opened German funded school run by the Borufkas in Entebbe. I really loved the school despite not being a special needs school but I explained myself and they accepted me in.
Take us through your days in the German school as a self-sponsored student?
Well, fortunately Familie Borufka took up my parents’ role paying my school dues till Senior six . Science was my food and I was determined to excel. I knew deaf schools existed back then but I didn’t have the money to join them since they were expensive.
Let’s talk about accepting your new life back at 11yrs. How did you cope up with forgetting about your ability to hear and what were your new modes of communication?
Inclusion is key for any disabled person. In my secondary, I used to lip read so much that I am currently experienced at it. Teachers also made it easy as they would pause for me to understand. I tried using sign language but not all people can gesture.
Are there moments when you wished you could hear again?
God is in charge.
Do you ever express yourself verbally?
Sometimes I am forced to talk and when I talk my voice is uncontrollable. I, however, hope to build the talking confidence in Law School however uncontrollable my voice maybe.
Can you lip read when someone is back bitting you ?
Sure but I just ignore. What doesn’t kill me shouldn’t worry me.
If you meet someone you don’t know for the 1st time, how do you tell them that you don’t hear what they are saying to you verbally?
It’s this simple! I approach you and gesture in local signs like hello. Straight forwardly I tell some people who want to pull up a chat that “I am Deaf but we can still communicate.”
Give us a precise recap of your high school golden days?
I was so stubborn. I remember getting suspended for causing drama. Yes, deaf people are so dramatic (giggles). I was so used to everyone in my small school and I was so popular despite being deaf something that built my determination to achieve my goals.
What act got you expelled?
Being in a German school, it was too strict so at one time I was caught kissing a fellow student which was against the school rules so I got temporarily dismissed.
Uh-oh ! Talking about goals, you are a land surveyor determined to be a lawyer too. What drives you towards killing these two big birds with one stone?
I hope to advocate for deaf persons’ rights across Uganda. Deaf persons have dreams too just like the rest and they deserve equal treatment that amounts to humanity. Access to information and inclusion rights are important to have.
Do you feel something isn’t being done right or are there tough situations that deaf people go through but are unnoticed?
Yes, for instance I just arrived at an event today and there was no interpreter in the tent yet- imagine some deaf people were seated hearing nothing. I had to notify the organizers.
In our country, there is too much rape to our constitution regarding access to information. We deaf people aren’t satisfied. Last Monday we sued the government for failure to dispatch interpreters in health centers country wide yet the SDGs and UNCRPD are supportive of our rights in Articles 39,21,31 and 41 of the 1995 constitution.
As an advocate to be in four years to come, how do you plan to beat this status quo?
Through advocacy, sensitization, raising awareness and zero tolerance to discrimination, I hope to create a better “D/DEAF-SOUND” country which knows the culture and needs of deaf persons.
Wow Quite impressive. Focusing on this legal future, do you have any leadership position to use as a stepping stone towards achieving your ambitions?
Yeah, I am the FDC-PWDs representative in Kyambogo University. I also double as the chairman Kyambogo University-Deaf Students Association. I am generally a focal person in the deaf community both in the local and national scenes.
Does obtaining a degree in Laws mean forgetting about Land Surveying?
You well know there are court divisions including the Land division in particular. As surveyors, we do work with lawyers in signing land deeds, witnessing and representing clients in courts of law regarding land issues. Article 23 is solely on land abuses and I did legal principles of Cadastre which inspired me a lot in 3rd year Land surveying. I therefore know Iam not taking an entirely new route but simply adding value.
How will you juggle between Land Surveying at KYU and Laws at UCU co-currently and interms of facilitation?
In UCU, I’ll be studying up to around 4pm, drive back to KYU by 5pm. I might end up bursting Bodas because of the jinja road jam. Note that in Land Surveying 4th year, we don’t study everyday since we do final projects. I am grateful to report that Deaf Legal Advocacy Worldwide will fund the scholarship and facilitation.
So it’s been 3yrs at KYU! give us a flashback about reactions of you in a new environment, new people who didn’t know about your impairment?
At 1st, my classmates were neutral. Some even feared to interact with me but with time as realized I was very social to easily start up chats caring less whether they could gesture or not, I built their confidence to interact with me.
In KYU, there is a disability policy and the lecturers are all nice though they do respect my rights to the fullest.
I remember one day some lecturer refused to start the lecture saying that students should wait for my interpreter to arrive. It gave me a smile and sense of belonging.
That was so touching of them. As a campuser, What’s your social life like. Are you in a relationship?
No, I am not in any relationship currently and I don’t need to be in one. Girls are complicated with those rare species, players. I am still waiting for the right moment with the right person.
Do you mean to say ladies don’t hit on you or show interest? If yes, how do you react?
Of course they do but mostly I engage them because they aren’t the right ones but just faking around.
How do you spend your free time?
I am a good soccer player attached to Entebbe Deaf FC in the deaf league. I also do play for my university hall, that’s the gallant Kulubya hall.
Do you have a thing for music,if so what’s your favorite genre?
Damn! I don’t like music buhhh if I had good quality loud speakers then I would do just instrumentals
Any package to fellow campusers that stigmatize students with disabilities?
Stigma and discrimination are so rampant on our campuses. I rather advise campusers to treat disabled persons with humanity and kindness. If you come across a wheel chair user trying to maneuver through stairs, please help. Actually, we are not disabled because we want to but natural circumstances decided the fate without our consent.
Egwelu might be deaf, a condition that renders his mouth partially quiet but an understanding self, smile, lip reading and texting language are unique characters about him.These left my mind wanting to know more and keep around him longer than planned but I have to go. Till next interview✌? .
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