Some People Are Stronger than Us: They Remain Hopeful despite Disabilities and Hardship

Society

Some People Are Stronger than Us: They Remain Hopeful despite Disabilities and Hardship

People with disabilities shared their experience and hopes. Photo: Lay Long and Soy Rathanakvisal

By Uth Raksmey
November 5, 2023 4:30 PM

PHNOM PENH — “I am disabled, I have hope in life: You are not disabled, don’t give up on yourself.”

These are words said by people who can’t walk or see.

Chul Mab is visually impaired and currently working as a masseuse. As she explained, it’s difficult for her to go anywhere.

“I thought why am I still alive,” she said. “I try hard to go everywhere, but I notice that some people are in harder situation than me.” As a masseuse, Mab knew she could provide some money for her family, believing that she could help them and even others who are in need.

**Chul Mab is visually impaired and currently working as a masseuse. Photo: Lay Long**

“If I can, I will,” she said. “So, I need to be alive. I want to share with others and encourage you to look at us. It is difficult for us to be blind, because wherever we go, we must depend on others.

“If you have your eyesight, you should remember that it has been difficult for us to persevere since we were children,” Mab said. “So don’t neglect yourself.”

In addition to having to deal with their impairment, physically disabled people have been victims of discrimination in the country. Chai Hak, who cannot walk, said she has faced prejudice and discrimination all her life. She especially recalls being a 7-year-old child who wanted so much to play with other children.

“Even when I was 12, I didn’t go out because not only children bullied me but the older people also discriminated against me,” she said. “All their words made me scared and angry.”

**Chai Hak, who cannot walk, said she has faced prejudice and discrimination all her life. Photo: Lay Long**

Sarom Kimdom also experienced discrimination at a young age from people in his village. Visually impaired Kimdom said that they would bully and insult him. “I used to be so depressed,” he said.

Despite Hardship, Optimism Remains

Discrimination, difficulties to move couldn’t block Mab, Hak and Kimdom to look to the future. Hak is now a singer at a music association for people with disabilities and Kimdom is a music teacher at the same association.

“After watching television and other people’s lives and seeing they can do it,” Hak said, “I asked myself why am I not. That’s why I decided to come to Phnom Penh to study. I saw a lot of people who are disabled like me, and we encouraged each other. So after that, I didn’t care about what other people say any more.”

To people who are depressed or even thinking suicide, Hak said not to do that and to think of how hard their parents worked to raise them. “If you think that your life is hard, please look at others: Many have harder lives than us.”

Kimdom has used music to drive sadness and disappointment out of his life. “If you want to relax, let the stress out, don’t stay home alone. Listen to music, go out to meet people and see the beautiful nature, the sunshine,” he said.

“Nothing is harder than disability,” Kimdom said. “So if you are not disabled, you need to fight for your life and fighting the fear you are facing now.”