This is Josfat. He was born with curvature of the spine and also profoundly deaf. Josfat was raised by his extended family, who made it pretty clear they didn't really want him around. Like many other disabled children in Tanzania, he was hidden away from the rest of the community because he was seen as a shame on his family. No one took the time to talk with him or teach him sign language. Because of his disability, he also wasn't sent to school as a kid, but was given a sign name, Hunchback, a constant reminder that he was different from everyone else and wasn't expected to achieve much. The best he could hope for would be a life of begging on the streets. In spite of his situation, Josfat did eventually finish primary school at the age of 22. Just at this time, Susie Hart, a textile artist from England, was looking to set up a papermaking workshop with deaf adults. She invited Josfat to come and learn. This was the first time Josfat had been invited to start anything. It turned out he was gifted at making paper, and pretty soon, he was the one teaching others how to do it. The cards and notebooks that Josfat made were an immediate hit among the tourists coming through Oringa. And so the story of NEMA began. Now 15 years later, NEMA crafts, employs and trains over 100 deaf and disabled people in different workshop areas. It's got a really popular cafe and also a guest house. Across the centre, deaf and disabled staff are learning and using their creative skills, building friendships and growing in confidence. Their success as artisans, cooks, waiters and managers is also impacting the community in a profound way. Other businesses in Oringa have been so inspired by their work that they are now hiring people with disabilities too. Oringa itself is becoming known as a town that is friendly to people with disabilities. The NEMA Crafts social enterprise is now supporting more than just its own staff wages and overheads. It's funding the NEMA Therapy Centre, which treats disabled children so that their quality of life can be improved too. And the parents of these children now have a network of support. NEMA also trains entrepreneurs with disabilities from across the region who want to start their own businesses. We have a deaf football team who travel out to rural villages each month and after playing the local side, talk to the community about valuing their disabled children. And since 2015, NEMA has been building homes for its staff so that they can build a brighter and more secure future for themselves and their families. People from all over the world who come and see NEMA Crafts are always struck by the creativity and purposefulness of our artisans and the sense that anything is possible. NEMA means grace in Kiswahili, the local language. We believe that it's in God's grace that every person is able to achieve their very best and be who they were made to be. Jospat's sign name is no longer Hunchback. After working at NEMA, his friends gave him a new sign. He is able. And this is what NEMA Crafts is all about. Giving people with disabilities the opportunity to show their ability and perhaps even changing others' perceptions along the way. By buying from our range of handmade products, coming to visit us in Oringa or connecting with us via our website, you too can be part of this incredible story, enabling deaf and physically disabled people in Tanzania. www.nema.org
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Josephat's Story by Neema Crafts (2023)
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Josephat's Story
by Neema Crafts - INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES
