As Stevie Wonder once said, just because a man lacks the use of his eyes does not mean he lacks vision.
Charity Osoi suddenly went blind in 2001 while she was in Form 2, an experience that changed her life completely.
She lost her sight in in 2001 while in form two after she fell into fire during an epileptic seizure.
“I was taken to different hospitals in a bid to restore my sight but all the efforts proved futile. I underwent plastic surgery at the Kenyatta National Hospital and later went to Kikuyu Hospital, there were no changes then I was advised to go to Kijabe Hospital and finally Kapenguria and since there was no solution to my sight, I went back home”, narrates Osoi.
After years of lost hope, In 2023 Osoi saw light at the end of the tunnel when the Kajiado County government identified her and took her to school to study knitting.
Later, the county bought her a knitting machine and that is when she found her vision and purpose in life and turned her wounds into wisdom.
“One day while I was at home, officials from Kajiado County Government approached me and enrolled me at the Machakos Technical Institute for the Blind (MTIB) where I learnt knitting later on I started knitting sweaters, leg warmers, Marvin and socks that I sell as a source of living”, said Osoi.
“I realized that, since I could not see again, and this knitting opportunity presented itself, then it is a career and I felt like it could help me because I am not in a position to do office work or writing so I jumped right into it”, added Osoi.
Just like any other business, getting a ready market has imposed challenges in Charity’s work of art.
She resides in Sajiloni, a small town in Kajiado County where very few people buy her sweaters, leg warmers, Marvin, and socks.
“I have been selling my products though I have not been making so much profit because of the rural setting. Sometimes you get like two customers after two months, you get others maybe after three months, and so getting a ready market for my products has been quite a journey. Another challenge, is sometimes the machine gets stuck, so you need to look for someone who can see to assist you”, said Osoi.
As International Women’s Day approaches, Osoi’s message to Women is to remember that they are the light of the community.
“Women are the reliance of the community, even if you have a child he or she will look upon you, they do not care whether you have a disability or not, at the end of the day they will depend on you and remember disability is not in ability”, pointed Osoi.
On February 26, Kajiado County held a disability mainstreaming event at Ildamat Stadium and Osoi showcased her work to Governor Joseph Ole Lenku.
In her speech, she lauded the county for the efforts they have made to help People with Disability (PWDs).