HER family and community gathered for a funeral to mourn her after she was electrocuted by live power cables.
But, Vellah Misodzi, who was 14 then, was not dead. For
seven hours, she battled for her life in the Intensive Care Unit, and her
family lost all hope.
Vella, who stays in Juru (Bhora), was in 2016 electrocuted
while on her way from school, when she stepped onto Zesa cables, which had
fallen on the road.
She was unconscious for seven hours prompting her family to
prepare a funeral. Mourners gathered and drums were playing along with
sorrowful songs. However, at around midnight, she emerged out of her coma.
She wrote her Grade Seven examinations, while on her
hospital bed, after sustaining serious injuries.
Vellah lost her leg, hand and toes. She is now in Form Two
and is the oldest in her class.
“I stay with my mother in Bhora under Goromonzi District
and I was told that my father died while I was still in the womb.
“I was born without any defect, unfortunately on September
22, in 2016 I was coming from school when I stepped onto live Zesa cables,
which had fallen following a fire.
“We were approaching the Grade Seven final exams, when this
incident occurred. A fire broke out in the area and burnt a Zesa pole, which
fell onto the road, leaving the cables exposed.
“I stepped onto the cables and my left hand and leg stuck
to the cables. My hair was burning and, at that moment, magetsi akabva
adhinguka before I fell unconscious,” she said.
Her rescuers had to cut the uniforms she was wearing. “They
had to use a knife to cut the uniform, and my flesh was peeling off and this
happened around 6pm.
“I was then ferried to Musami Mission Provincial Hospital
before being referred to Parirenyatwa due to the degree of the injuries. I later regained my consciousness around 12
midnight and I was asking where I was.
“I discovered that, next to me, was a man whose head was
cracked and I was frightened due to his condition, not knowing that I had more
serious injuries than him.”
She said at her home, people had gathered for a funeral
wake.
“At home, my family members were already preparing for a
funeral since they had lost hope and assumed I had died.
“They were playing drums as I remained in the ICU for
hours. I was taken from the ICU by the doctors who took me to another ward.
“I was just 14 years and my left upper hand, left leg
(below the knee) and three toes on the right leg, were amputated.
“I went into theatre four times, on my first day I entered
around 9am and woke up around 7pm.
“I stayed in hospital for three months and I had to write
my Grade Seven exams while on the hospital bed.”
She explained how she wrote her exams:
“There were some teachers, who were moving around hospitals
helping pupils to write their exams.
“They came to me checking if I was able to write the exams
and I said yes.
“But my relatives and some teachers from school, at first,
declined since I was in great pain.
“I even cried to convince my relatives and, in the end, I
sat for my exams, which began on November 4.
“I developed ulcers and I was then discharged from the
hospital on December 24 and I was now being treated at home.
“I would go for review every week. The day I left the
hospital I cried since I was shocked that I was now going to use a wheelchair.
“It was difficult for me to accept my new condition as I
was now disabled yet I used to walk properly.
Vellah said her results came out separately.
“When the Grade Seven results came out, mine didn’t come. “There
were some issues but they later came out in March 2017 and I had 19 units.
“I went to Jairosi Jiri, looking for enrolment, and they
advised me to get examined first, as they claimed my brain was affected by the
burns.
“We could not get access to the doctor and I had to stay at
home but I kept my results slip hoping that one day I would go to school.
“I took poison so that I kill myself before my mother took
it away from me.
“I felt I was giving her a burden since she was the one who
was taking care of me, pushing my wheelchair.
“But, I later got counselling and I now have happiness. I
asked myself kuti dai zvisina kuitirwa ini ndaida zviitirwe ani,” she said.
She said four years later she went back to school.
“I started going to secondary school after four years. I
had always wanted to proceed with school.
“Many people laughed and mocked me over my age when they
heard I was now going to school.
“Vaiti iyo chembere, zigogo chairo muchiri kuvavarirei
kuchikoro. These words affected me the most but I comforted myself.
“It was not easy at school since no one would want to push
me on the wheelchair.
“The situation made me not to eat or drink anything at
school since no one would take me to the toilet.
“I am now in Form Two and I look forward to a better
future. I wish to be a role model to many vulnerable people.
“People say a lot but I have developed a thick skin. Worse
still, I am the oldest in class but I am not moved or deterred. I have discovered that suicide is not an
option. Death is not an option and I see myself becoming a journalist or radio
presenter.
“I want a job that can suit my condition.” H Metro
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