A normal pregnancy took a sour turn for Vida Oboshie Dogbor when she suffered complications during childbirth affecting her son’s health. At age one, Joshua could barely walk. ’He however started taking his steps when he turned two but we had to result to physiotherapy for assistance’, his mother said.
‘I felt really bad finding out his condition would be permanent and it wasn’t easy because I had lost my husband”, she added.
Joshua on the other hand, didn’t let his condition weigh him down. Sharing his story with Miriam Osei Agyemang on 3FM’s UnEdited show, he expressed his fondness for computers and recounted how he would take his sister’s phone to research and read about computers. “I will stay up the whole night to use the computer,” he said. He loves to be independent and rejects assistance from family and friends.
His love for computers led him to the Intercom programming and manufacturing company (IPMC) where he perfected his IT skills.
His mother shared challenges she faced as she had to pay GHC350 monthly to cater for Joshua’s tuition fees with the little she made off the “provisions” she sold and had to pay for a taxi to take him and bring him back home due to his condition.
She also shared an experience where Joshua had to be let out of a public transport because he was mistaken for a beggar.
According to Joshua, some friends and neighbors have been of great help and one of such is Jonathan, a tenant who shares same interests as him. He expressed his surprise at Joshua’s high level of intelligence. “he can easily design a web when I still find difficulty in doing it even after studying for years” he said. Joshua usually spends an hour on his works which is quite unusual considering his condition.
He stated how he is amazed at Joshua’s level of independence and his quest to get an employer for him.
“It is a misconception to think autism is spiritual and a liability because Joshua has proven otherwise.”
Some beautiful designs of Joshua were displayed on the show. It is his greatest aspiration to be employed to showcase his skills. He also dreams of setting up a foundation he has named “Just like you ” Joshua hopes to use his foundation to teach people to overlook and see him and others like him just as every other person.
Source: Rhoda Boateng