As the world pauses on Wednesday, December 3, to commemorate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, one story calls for reflection and compassion, a story that embodies quiet resilience, untapped potential, and the profound weight of circumstances beyond a child’s choosing.
Sixteen years ago, on Tuesday, September 8, 2009, a baby boy named Richmond Kuzor entered the world at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Born to two young couples, a taxi driver and an unemployed young woman.
Richmond was a vibrant, joyful child. His cheerful presence, round cheeks, and smooth, dark skin made him a favourite among neighbours in and around RTC, a popular neighbourhood in Ho.
But life took an unexpected and devastating turn when Richmond was just two years old. Domestic conflict between his parents spiralled into a tragic incident that left him paralysed.
The young couple separated, and in the ensuing confusion, Richmond was moved between households, first to his mother, then back to his father, and later to the village to stay with his grandmother, his father’s mother.
On Wednesday, September 8, 2011, he celebrated his second birthday in Awudome Anyirawase, where he lives with his grandmother, surrounded by relatives and neighbourhood children.
Barely two days later, on Saturday, September 10, the bustling community, situated along the busy Accra–Ho Highway recorded a sad day in their history, Richmond was struck by a speeding vehicle.
How he managed to walk from a house about 5 kilometres away from the highway before the accident remains a mystery.
It remains a mystery how he managed to walk from a house located roughly five kilometres from the highway before the accident.
From Ho to Korlebu in Accra, and through the weight of financial burdens, the rest of the story remains another mystery
Today, sixteen years on, Richmond walks with a limp. His right hand and leg are completely impaired, leaving him to rely solely on his left part of his body.
While his peers have progressed to Senior High School or are completing Junior High, Richmond remains in JHS 1.
Still living in the same village with his grandmother, he struggles with health challenges and visible signs of malnutrition, which have affected both his growth and speech.
During a recent visit to the village, the weight of Richmond’s situation moved visitors deeply. But amid the sadness, a spark of light emerged, one that deserves to be nurtured.
On the wall of one of the rooms in the house is a beautifully drawn picture of Tom and Jerry, the world’s famous cartoon characters, sketched entirely with a marker. That is not all.
The artist? Richmond himself.
When asked to bring his drawing book, each page has an impressive visual art, precise, imaginative, and filled with promise.
Despite the limitations imposed on him since infancy, his left hand has mastered what many with full physical capability still struggle to achieve.
On this day, International Day for Persons with Disabilities, when the world acknowledges the struggles and triumphs of persons with disabilities, I felt compelled to share Richmond’s story.
It is a story not just of hardship, but of extraordinary potential waiting to be guided, supported, and celebrated.
Richmond needs to be groomed, especially towards his education and well-being. His gift in visual art is undeniable. What he needs now is a chance.
In honour of this day, may Richmond’s journey remind us that talent does not diminish with disability, and that with empathy and intervention, a child’s destiny can still be rewritten.
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