Crawling on board - Part 6

Somewhere between Kinsangani and Bumba - Balancing above the water on a thick piece of wood is the only way to get onto the MB Sowidaja, after which one has to cross three other barges before reaching our ‘home.’

Even the cars were brought on deck in this way. Unfazed, 38-year-old Rogier Kembi crosses the slippery plank crawling on his arms and knees. This is the way he moves in life: Rogier is handicapped.

“I am not afraid, since I am used to walking like this for a very long time,” Rogier says with a charming smile. “So I cant fall in the water.” Having been unable to walk since he fell badly at the age of two, he manages to be quite successful in life.

Unable to donate
“I am married and we have five children together,” says Rogier. “I am a trader, taking my merchandise from Kisangani to the next port of Bumba.” He deals in medicaments, which he bought in from the trading town of Butembo on the Ugandan border, a thousand kilometers east of Kisangani.

I visited a centre for the handicapped in Kisangani, where special tricycles for people like Rogier are being produced. It is the type of wheelchair that can be moved forward by pedals that work on hand force. “I would love to have one,” Rogier says. “But I just cannot afford buying it at 400 US dollars.” Unfortunately, I am unable to fulfill his request of donating one to him.
To be continued...

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