It was in 1990’s where radio stations had number of listeners that the name of ‘Marta Dejene from Arat Killo’, the woman with soft voice became famous as it appeared on most radio stations at the time. She used to be the first person that would appear in Q&A programs which she believes allowed her to stay in most listeners’ mind.
Marta Dejene was born and raised around Arat Killo, Addis Ababa. Both of her parents were health professionals. Though a silly decision made by her mother destined Marta to encounter a challenge that she could not recover from. Her mother decided not to take Marta for polio vaccination again thinking that it won’t be good for her child. Unfortunately, her legs become disabled when she was only two years old.
Regretting their decision, her parents spent almost their entire lives to find her better treatment so that she can walk again. Following the wrong societal perception wards disability, there was no place that one can imagine be it hospital to religious places, where they failed to visit; however, there was nothing they could do.
As time flies, her condition remained the same. Even the youngest children started going to school while she was staying at home. That’s when Marta started questioning her parents why she won’t go to school.
When recounting how she was introduced to education, she said, “My older and younger brothers used to go to formal school. I asked my father about it, and he discussed the issue with our neighbors. Together, they built a small house that allowed me to have my first experience with alphabets and words, under the guidance of religious teacher. A few children in the area, including myself, started learning, and to my amazement, I was able to cover a huge portion within one week.”
Unfortunately, after about one week, another teacher (religious father) came to the class and unexpected incident occurred. Since she started learning, it was her father who used to take her from school. One day, when class was dismissed, her classmates ran out of the classroom, but she remained seated. The teacher told her to leave, not realizing that she couldn’t walk. He got offended that she didn’t obey his order and decided to forcefully make her stand. However, instead of helping her up, he harshly pulled her hair, causing her to scream loudly. Her father, who was on his way to her school heard her scream and rushed inside, witnessing the incident.
Her father became furious and started fighting with the teacher since he did not treat his disabled daughter the right way. That incident was the last time she went to school. After that, Marta began reading her siblings’ books and slowly taught herself.
The habit she developed made her standout even from her siblings who are actually following education. Her parents decided to bring lots of books. The fact that her parents become hopeless on finding way to return her health condition, they decided to send her school.
Marta learned her primary school in Naod Primary school and went to Menelik II Secondary School. Though she was not able to play as her mates, she was highly attached with books.
In addition to her reading habits, she was actively engaged in Radio Q&A sessions which finally led the Editors from Radio and TV station program to wonder who Marta really is. She then was invited to compete in Q&A more than once and was awarded.
After taking her entrance exam, she decided to start publishing private newspaper. She took credit from microfinance association coupled with the computer she was awarded from the competition and published her first Newspaper named ‘Ewin’.
She contacted her friends that were fond of art and literature to contribute to her newspaper. Unfortunately, the paper could not go further and stopped publishing immediately after the debt she took run out.
Later on, she joined Addis Ababa University’s Department of Language and Literature. As her love for journalism never fades away, while she was second year student, she started working in 90.7FM radio station and stayed there for about four years.
After she earned her BA degree, Marta was able to establish Ewin Advertising, Printing and Promotion Company in 2000E.C and began weekly TV program called ‘Maedot’ that focused on persons with disability for five years. Besides the weekly program, she used to host entertainment programs that aimed at sensitizing the society about the challenges of PWDs on different holidays.
In addition, she was publishing magazine named ‘Temsalet’ and ‘Tebeta’ that used to be freely distributed to readers. Through Temsalet magazine, she came up with locally or internationally known individuals with disability that could inspire others to reach their dreams despite their challenges.
Tebeta on the other hand was an annual magazine that used to showcase Ewin’s charitable association. The magazine was published in align with the international PWDs day annually.
Her association manufactures wheelchairs locally for PWDs so as to allow them get the wheelchair easily. The association has made a great contribution in saving huge amount of foreign currency.
Besides the challenge that comes along with disability, women have double burden when they have disabilities. They are exposed to several challenges including reproduction health issues. Most of infrastructures (Roads, schools, health institutions and recreation areas) are built also without taking PWDs in to consideration.
Starting a family is unthinkable when you have disability for most people. But she is married and is a mother of four children. Her spouse is very understanding and supportive, as to her.
Marta has faced several challenges which most of it originates from wrong societal perception. People used to doubt her ability to perform her works as well as lead her marriage life. However, she did not give up and let her situation define her.
That is why she always say don’t lose hope no matter the circumstance you are in. we must not accept every difficult situation and do nothing but we have to face the challenge. “Women could take multiple responsibilities, so they need to be strong enough to face difficulties. Imagine if I was a normal healthy child who could go to school just like her peers, I wouldn’t be the woman who is as attached to books this much as I am today.”
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER 2023
