Disability has not hindered my entrepreneurial spirit

David Mugo Njuguna, 33

Living with any form of disability can be challenging, especially when it comes to people’s perceptions of what you’re capable of. However, as they say, disability is not inability.

I was born with deformities and have struggled for long to fit in the ‘normal’ world and compete with able-bodied people.

I started out making a living through gospel music, but it was a challenge. After releasing a track, I’d wheel myself around selling CDs.

However, my movements were highly limited as I don’t use a motorised wheelchair, which means I needed help getting up road inclines.

It would take long to sell my stock. I’d use the money I earned to go back to studio, record a new song and hit the road again.

While selling my songs, I met someone who appreciated these efforts and got me on a different path by giving me capital to start a clothes business.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of months now, though I still record gospel music.

Both of these hustles are not without their hurdles.

Not every recording artiste can raise funds to produce an album. I also don’t get as many invites to perform as more able-bodied artistes who can electrify a stage with their dance moves.

And with the clothes business, I don’t get any special favours from county authorities; my business is treated like any other entrepreneur’s.

I depend on others to pack and unpack the clothes I have on display.

While the earnings from the music business vary too much to find an average, when it comes to selling clothes, in a good day, I’ll take home Sh700, though there are some days I close the shop without registering a single sale.