The life of a blind musician

Lebogang Baingapi | Monday August 3, 2015 17:13

In one special day recently, the villagers gathered at their kgotla for  blankets donations from a church. The chilly weather did not deter their attendance.

Here we find one of the residents. Kethusegile Solomon  who is visually impaired and is led by a  stick. He is a popular figure in the village. As he enters the court yard, you could hear the shouts of  “katara e kae, mo heng katara a letse” (Where is his guitar, give him the guitar to play.” It is probably platforms like these, when there are visitors in the area that he displays his talent the most.

He slowly moved to an isolated corner with the help of his brother and listened attentively why he is brought to the kgotla. As soon as his name is called, he stood  up to receive his blanket donation from the church leadership.

Life has been rough for the blind man since he  completed his studies at Pudulogong Centre in Mochudi. He revealed he was born blind and was enrolled in different schools for the visually impaired and later admitted at Pudulogong where he studied music.

Upon completion, he said he was given musical instruments by the government through the then youth grant in 2005. He went back to his home village Itholoke and tried to establish a band but it was unsuccessful. His instruments are now old and need servicing but he is not getting any help from the social welfare office. For many years he has been thrown from pillar to post when he tries his luck in other government initiatives. Due to his disability, Solomon has limited ability to do back yard gardening and other poverty eradication programs that require sight.

He said he is not even registered for the monthly food ration though he has mentioned to the social welfare officers that his equipments are not generating any income.“I have not been given any tender to perform in any local function neither does the government afford me space to perform in government functions in the district, I must emphasise that I am starving,” he added with a trembling voice.

Solomon is staying with his younger brother who takes care of him but it is not enough as he sometimes abandons him to go to work at Ipelegeng. However, Solomon is confident that he can work in a music studio if afforded an opportunity. He said being in a settlement is one other disadvantage as he is  far from resources and relevant people and he is pleading with the government and anyone who can help him realise his dreams of making music a career. He is also a song writer and he is waiting for a good Samaritan who can help him.