Wheelchair-bound man says gardening keeps him happy and healthy
A wheelchair-bound Nyanga resident wants to encourage other physically challenged people to find something productive to do with their time.
Inga Mkoko, 27, has made his garden in Lusaka, Nyanga, a haven that also provides him with food, a modest income, and a way to stay fit.
Mr Mkoko is one of the victims of the Mdlalose tavern shooting that took place in Nomzamo Park, Soweto, in July 2022, which left 16 people dead and several others injured.
At the time of the shooting, he was working as a landscaper and selling sweets and other things on the streets of Johannesburg.
On the fateful day, Mr Mkoko said he went to the tavern to play a game of pool and charge his phone because his shack had no electricity.
The survivor, from Engcobo in the Eastern Cape, said he was shot 13 times and was in a coma for three weeks. He had both legs amputated and lost four fingers on his left hand.
Now Mr Mkoko has found fulfilment in growing a small vegetable garden.
He tends to his garden, which also has some endangered plants, every day, all by himself.
He believes that the tragic incident was God’s way of showing him another way of life. “I liken myself to an orange. For one to get juice out of it one has to squeeze it. I believe this is what God did. He squeezed me so that I can have another way of thinking and seeing things. I now care very much about my well-being. I always think positively and am involved in many things.”
He said those who are physically challenged must keep themselves busy and productive all the time.
He said the reason why so many disabled people suffer from bad health is because they spend too much time doing nothing.
“In my opinion, a lot of people who are disabled feel too sorry for themselves. Some do not even want to be seen. This happens alot to those who were born able-bodied and were injured in incidents such as shootings and car accidents or suffered illnesses. Instead of admitting who they are now, they think of their past lives and what people will say now that they are no longer able-bodied. By doing so, they invite diseases. My advice to fellow physically challenged people is to start something small to stay productive. Let’s keep our bodies active and not feel ashamed about our current status,” he said.
He believes that establishing vegetable gardens and growing one’s own produce instead of buying is the most efficient way to fight hunger during tough economic times.
He longs for a bigger plot where he can plant and distribute vegetable seedlings to locals.
