Brightstar Kasyoka is a budding entrepreneur in Nairobi, but she has come a long way to conquer her “abled differently status.
Kasyoka has lived with a limp hand for the better part of her life. She suffered an accident when she was only two years old, and her right hand became limp.
This marked the beginning of a daunting journey in her life. She faced stigmatization in her class.
She recalls a day when her desk mate told her that she would never be good enough.
As if this was not enough, she recalls an incident where a family member told her it’s better if she died in the accident instead of becoming disabled. Kyoka was eight years old.
When she was 12, a teacher told her she couldn’t make a good wife with that kind of hand.
Yet again, at 16 years, a close person told her she was very talented but wished she never had such a hand.
Today, Kasyoka is a celebrated fashion designer. She is the co-founder of Star Tailoring Suits Nairobi Kenya 🇰🇪.
But Kasyoka’s success has come at a cost. She is always apprehensive about shaking hands because she has no choice other than use her left hand considered a taboo in the African culture.
“I fear shaking people’s hand because most of them ask why I am using my left hand. Some even say it is rude and others even refuse to shake my hand and insist I give them the right hand.
“It would always trigger me to break down months ago before I healed. I have missed many big meetings in the past if I thought the people present would ask me to shake their hand,” she remarks.
Kasyoka has established her brand to big names in the country, among them Deputy President William Ruto.