BY MICHAEL ANGELO DEJANDO
(This is the first of a four-part series of inspiring stories to mark the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week 2018. – Ed.)
“LET’S move on.” “Keep going.” “Don’t give up.” These are phrases we usually give to people who have been down in the dumps and reduced to tears while suffering from either a death of a loved one or while facing a harsh battle with the universe that seems to conspire against them.
However, for persons with disabilities (PWD), the phrases are a way of life, more so during this year’s celebration of National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week that runs from July 17 to 23.
According to the 2011 World Report on Disability (the most recent by the World Health Organization), more than a billion people are estimated to live with some form of disability, or about 15 percent of the world’s population (based on 2010 global population estimates). Moreover, the most recent data from the Philippine Statistics Office which is the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, showed that there were about 1.4 million Filipinos who had disabilities.
Despite the challenges of living with their disabilities, these Filipinos from Western Visayas – four of the 138,000 persons with disabilities in the said region, were able to reach the pedestal of their dreams. There may be other “success stories” out there, but the four here, nevertheless, prove that giving up is not an option. Check them out:
Katchry Jewel Golbin, world-renowned singer
Born in 1990 in Tapaz, Capiz, Katchry Jewel Golbin has never seen the world her entire life. She was born premature and blind.
But fast forward 26 years later, she has been admired by the world she herself has never seen upon winning third place among 12 finalists in the finale of the 11th season of television show “La France a un Incroyable Talent (France Got Talent)” last Dec. 13, 2016.
Known internationally as “Aliènette Coldfire,” Katchry never let her visual impairment stop her from achieving her dreams and aspirations. She graduated college with a degree, Bachelor of Arts in English, at Central Philippine University.
Wanting to learn French because of French singer Edith Piaf, her idol who sang the international hit “La Vie en Rose,” Katchry enrolled in a French class as a course elective when she was in college. She also practiced speaking French almost every night with Facebook friends using a special software.
This gave her the confidence to submit videos of herself performing 10 French songs.
The organizers were impressed. She was asked to send three more after she was shortlisted. Her younger sister Kathryne Faith accompanied her to France and la suite des choses, nous la connaissons (the rest is history, as we say). Amidst her fame in the international arena, the now 27-year-old artist, who finds light in expressing herself through music, shared she also faces challenges just as any normal person does.
“I don’t think disability really makes a difference in my life; I mean, I am facing challenges just as any normal person does. For visually impaired artists like me, the biggest challenge is interacting with the public using body language. I’ve never seen the world in my entire life and I don’t have any visual notion of it. I just have to imagine a lot,” said Golbin.
For example, she said, “I know the word violet but I don’t really know what violet is. I just have to try my best to really express myself though the visual aspect is lacking.”
“I just have to do anything I can with whatever I have no matter how little it is because every little thing that I do to make my dream come true is a step closer to success” said Golbin. (Next: “We are created for a purpose”)/PN
