TESTIMONY - Bongi’s Testimony

BONGI’S TESTIMONY

My name is Mayibongwe Kagiso Madisa. I was born in Ukraine in 1989. I was born disabled from the waist down; I was treated by a doctor by experimentation and managed to become normal by the grace of God. I grew up in Hatfield, a surburb located in Harare. I attended school at Hatfield primary, Widdicombe and Milton junior school. I did my high school at Plumtree high school, Phoenix College and Ilsa college. I then went on to do a diploma in Information Technology at Macmaine school of computing, a diploma in marketing at Lifelong college and a degree in Entrepreneurship at Limkokwing University of creative technology in Botswana. I then went on to work in Banking operations at BancABC Botswana and later as a manager at Shoprite Botswana.

While visiting friends and family in Harare in May 2015, I was attacked by thieves from around 7pm while on the way home from a tuck shop in Hatfield. I was struck from behind with a large sharp object like a machete or axe repeatedly on the head and face, they took my wallet which had $7 and left me unconscious to die. I woke up about 2 hours later feeling very cold, in a pool of blood, unable to see and bleeding heavily from mortal wounds. In my blind state and extreme pain, I staggered around and fell into a ditch while trying to follow car sounds and trying to get help. I then crawled to the road and a combi stopped in front of me, I gave the driver my home telephone number and he contacted my family and informed them of my situation. I was taken to the police station and to the hospital. At the hospital the doctors stitched up big head wounds and found that both my eyes had been seriously damaged, my skull was fructured and, my nose and jaw were broken. I was operated and both my eyes were removed, I also lost a few teeth. The rest of the injuries healed over time, and I

Adjusting to the new circumstances was difficult, being blind is the worst thing that ever happened to me, and I struggled to accept my condition. Two months after the operation I attended rehabilitation school at Dorothy Duncan school for the blind and learned Braille, computers, mobility, and life skills. During that time, I became very depressed and suicidal. I started drinking and smoking heavily to try to calm down and cope with the trauma. After a couple of suicide attempts, I went to a psychiatric institution, and I was put on antidepressants. I became better but I was still abusing substances and sometimes drugs. I then attended another rehabilitation school called Phudulogong for a year and completed in 2017. In 2018, my fiancé left me. By the grace of God, end of the 2018, I managed to quit alcohol and smoking. I made the decision to have a relationship with God. I am still unemployed since losing my sight, but I have tried my hand at small projects such as raising chickens and packing traditional grains such as sorghum with some help of course. I also wanted to start a fish farming project at home in Hatfield Harare, but I failed to raise enough funds to start the project. I believe God will provide

one day. I am currently in Gaborone, in Botswana and I am looking for employment in any call center or as a switchboard operator, a receptionist, radio, tele-sales agent and digital customer service agent. I would like to start a side project manufacturing cleaning products such as detergents, soaps, floor polish, bubble baths and others. Since losing my sight I now enjoy listening to audiobooks and song writing. I have written songs for businesses for marketing and advertising.

To get hold of Bongi, you can send him a whatsapp message on : +267 74855899

Well wishers can donate to his account :

FNB BOTSWANA, SAVINGS ACCOUNT ACCOUNT NUMBER: 63027108900