The phrase disability is not inability is the true definition of Martha Kampi, a deaf laboratory technician working in Kajjansi Health Centre IV. Kampi is a go-getter whose condition has not stood in her way for anything. As you feel pity for Kampi, she is quick to note otherwise, “this is a life changing story, so do not feel sorry for me.” Born in 1993 to Mr Mugobi Moses (RIP) and Sr. Mutesi Joy, a senior nurse working with the Ministry of Health, Kampi’s childhood was a normal one like any other child’s. She began her education at Great Salvation nursery school in Jinja before going to Main Street Nursery school. She was later taken to Kayunga Primary school to start her Primary education. Later, she was transferred to Nagalama, St Agnes girls boarding primary school. Martha remembers June 7th 2002 vividly; it was when she lost her sense of hearing. It was during the second term holidays when she was in Primary three at St Agnes when she contracted Mumps and malaria. That time, she was at home with only the house help. Her temperature had shot up and the house help was so scared that she gave Kampi an overdose of chloroquine phosphate tablets and told her to go to sleep.
When Martha woke up the following morning, she could not hear. They thought it was the effect of the medicine and that once the medicine clears from the body, she would recover her sense of hearing but it did not happen. When the holidays ended, she went back to St Agnes Nagalama and completed the year. Unfortunately, that term, her learning process was disturbed because she was not getting the right instruction.
The following year, she was moved to St Theresa Bwanda, which had a special needs section for the deaf called, St Mark VII School. Although she began learning sign language at the school, she was scared of her new environment. It was the head teacher, Sr. Immaculate Rose Namakula who convinced her to learn sign language as it was the only way she would communicate with people. When she completed Primary school, she was admitted to St Angela secondary for the deaf in Kenya until 2007, when an insurgency broke out in Kenya. She returned to Uganda and she did not get back to school in 2008. The following year in 2009, she was taken to Wakiso School for the deaf where she studied and completed her ordinary level.
At Advanced level, Martha wanted to study sciences but the school did not have special needs teachers for science subjects, so she was told to do Arts, something she did not want. Her dream was to become a nurse like her mother. She declined going back to school unless she was offered the science subjects she wanted. When her mother insisted she goes back to school, Martha instead opted to go to the school of nursing and do the intake interviews.
In 2011, she applied to Jinja school of nursing and she was invited to take part in an interview, which she did and passed but when they got to know her condition, she was told that she could not be admitted to the school because they did not have special needs lecturers to teach her. Martha did not give up; she applied to Mulago School of Nursing and, she was once more invited for an entrance interview, which she also did and passed, but it was the same story.
It was at that time that she told her mother that she wanted to leave the country to another that would embrace her condition and her dream of becoming a nurse. Her mother encouraged her to stay so that she could help other people with a similar condition like hers. She said that everyone apart from her mother thought that she could not make it as a nurse. Martha adds that she cut out many friends because of this. She was disappointed but refused to be put down. It was not over yet. She petitioned the then speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and shared with her how she had been treated unfairly in the two nursing schools because of her condition. The speaker referred her to the then, minister of education, Hon Jessica Alupo who in turn referred her to the Special needs Department and requested them to help her. There, she met with a career guidance officer who convinced her to do laboratory technician training, that is not as demanding as Nursing and does not need a lot of communication and interaction with patients.
After her interaction with the Special needs department at the ministry, Martha applied to Jinja School of Medical Laboratory and she was admitted. All her time at the school was smooth since she had many friends who would help her when she was stuck. The Principal of the school, Mr Otim Pamfillio was so helpful to her too. After school, she spent four years without a job because she was facing discrimination. She returned to the Speaker and shared her grievance. She was advised to apply when Wakiso district advertises for job vacancies in the health sector.
When she applied, she was invited for an interview and she got a job at Kasangati hospital where she worked for two years. In 2019, Martha got a transfer to Kajjansi health Centre IV where she is still working. She still has the dream of becoming a nurse and promised that she will become a nurse. Martha is a mother to a healthy three year- old daughter whom she is teaching sign language so that they can easily communicate. She encourages people with similar conditions as hers not to give up and be discouraged by people’s talk.
By Lamunu Irene
