Meet Khoxoo, the boy-sized man of Chobokwane
Leinanyana Tsiane | Thursday February 27, 2014 16:15
CHOBOKWANE: Chobokwane is about 84 kilometres from Gantsi. The settlement has some social amenities, among them a clinic, a primary school, a well-constructed Kgotla and tarred road that runs all the way from Gantsi.
These amenities technically qualify Chobokwane for upgrading from settlement to village status.
The settlement is home to a man who is a boy in every way: His hands, arms and legs are short, giving him the size of a four-year old. A veritable dwarf, the boy-man walks with the aid of a stick, taking short strides .
His name is Khoxoo Xao, the fourth son of the late Xao Khoxoo and Nxisa Dabe, both of Chobokwane. The couple had five children altogether, but three of them died over the years.
Khoxoo’s mother has no idea of her son’s date of birth. Nevertheless, his identity card (Omang) indicateds that he was born in 1976 at Farm 9.
“My son was a normal child when I gave birth to him. I only realised his disability when he was about this boy’s age,” said Nxisa pointing to one of her grandchildren. “I took him to hospital upon realising that he was deformed, but they did not tell me much.”
Though Nxisa will not specify the hospital she took her son to, she insists that she took him to a hospital.
She says she and Khoxoo’s uncle have been struggling to take care of him, adding that once in a while a Thuso Rehabilitation therapist comes and takes him for therapy in Maun.
Because he is of restricted growth, Khoxoo cannot do much for himself, but bathe and clothe himself. He visits the toilet unaided.
The Dutch Reformed Church in Chobokwane has built a one-roomed house for Khoxoo and his family on a plot he inherited from an uncle. Khoxoo is a devout Christian who goes to church every Sunday.
Even so, Nxisa says hers is an extended family that has numeous members.
“The ration is small and that is the only thing we survive on. Nobody is working even these girls that you see. We are appealing to our council to help us with more food. I really appreciate what the Church is doing for us as they also gives us a food basket,” added Nxisa.
The councillor for Chobokwane, Joel Moragoshele, says although Khoxoo is a young man with a disability, he does not like it when people take pity on because he does basic things for himself.
“He doesn’t like it when people offer to help him,” Moragoshele says. “He likes to be treated like a normal person. For instance, he is very active and likes to make toy cars out of wire. We are looking at donating a backyard garden to him as part of the government’s poverty eradication programme.“
The council’s Department of Social and Community Development has installed a tap at Khoxoo’s house. Moragoshele says the council has not considered buying a wheelchair for him because he walks on his own without much of a hitch.
At present, it is not not known what explains the miniature size of this proud man. What is certain is that Xhoxoo suffers from some growth hormone deficiecy.