Meet the blind man who sells coconut for a living

Disability is indeed not inability and the exploits of Samuel Nyadu Kwasi proves just that. The 52-year-old visually impaired at Akropong -Akuapem in the Eastern Region has defied the odds in the coconut business.

The coconut business involves the use of sharp cutlasses to rip the husk from the nut before selling to customers hence perceived as a reserve of persons without any form of visual impairment.

However, Nyadu Kwasi, a former student of Akropong School for the Blind and Okuapeman Senior High School has audaciously ventured into the coconut fruits selling business for the past 15 years taking care of his wife and seven children in School. He does not only sell the coconut fruits but mostly climb to harvest the fruits himself in far villages.

“I started this thing about 15 years now and in fact it has helped me a lot to look at my children, wife and also myself. I myself climb the Coconut tree and cut the coconut down and after that I pick it, carry it to the road side and transport to Akropong after paying the owners,” he told Starr News’ Kojo Ansah.

In his view, his disability gives him a competitive advantage as many consumers prefer to buy from him out of sympathy, a situation he says is booming his business.

However, according to Kwasi Nyadu, despite this seeming good news, says he faces several challenges including access to transportation and hassle in getting coconut fruits from owners in surrounding villages due to unfair competition.

He is therefore appealing to philanthropists to support him with at least a tricycle to enable him convey coconut fruits from the villages to Akropong to sell.

“This work, in fact it is tedious work, I need many things to help me do the work and I am not getting it but I hope through Starr FM, by God’s grace I will get some help. At least when I get tricycle known locally as Aboboyaa or truck to carry my fruits from place to place to sell in fact it will help me a lot, so I am appealing for help. Also, I need a place to build a Container kiosk,” he appealed.

Some Customers of Nyadu who were spotted buying from him said they were amazed seeing a blind man doing the work faster and perfectly even than those without visual impairment, a skill and unique quality they say attract them to buy more often from him.

Mahela Narh , Headmistress of the Akropong School for the Blind says she is not surprised at the efforts of Gyadu because students are oriented and trained to push harder in life since disability is not inability.

“That is why I want society to demystify this primitive mindset about persons with disability and instead ofkilling or abandoning their disable children in the bush, should rather bring them here; we will shape them to be useful to society. Nyadu is among a number of students excelling in many areas, we have teachers, lecturers, businessmen, Radio presenters, Djs etc. who are all blind and came here”.