Today, as we honor the International Day of Persons With Disabilities, we celebrate the profound commitment Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has made to building a truly inclusive home.
University council representation: Ms. Stella Dusabe represents both students and staff at the University council.
At MUST, we fundamentally believe that disability is a mindset, not an inherent personal trait. While physical or cognitive impairments are realities, we focus on dismantling the societal and environmental barriers that truly disable individuals. We actively work to shift the internal and external narrative, proving that with the right support and mindset, there are no limits to what our PWDs community can achieve.
By fostering a culture of inclusion and proactively providing accommodations, resources, and representation (such as the PWDs Association and Council representation), MUST empowers every student and staff member to define themselves by their capabilities and potential, not by any perceived limitation.
From ensuring PWDs have a powerful voice on the University Council, to remodeling our campus, training over a hundred students in Sign Language, and implementing a comprehensive PWD Policy advocating for inclusion, MUST is dedicated to removing barriers, not creating them.
The Power of Personal Resilience
But behind the policies, the support desks, and the campus remodeling are individual journeys of resilience, struggle, and immense triumph.
We all face moments where the obstacles seem too high, where self-doubt whispers loudest. For those living with an impairment, these feelings can sometimes be overwhelming.
Today, we look beyond the statistics and the official commitments to focus on one such incredible story. It is the story of a man who navigated this very campus, embraced his identity, and emerged a victor.
Please allow me to introduce James Nabyama, a distinguished MUST alumnus from the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy. James is here to open his heart and share the lessons learned from his own life as an impaired person. His testimony is not just an autobiography; it is a beacon, meant to light the path and raise the self-esteem of anyone who believes their impairment defines their limit.
Beyond the Barrier: James Nabyama’s MUST Journey of Resilience
Today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I stand not just to celebrate a date on a calendar, but to honour a journey—my journey, our journey, and the paths we continue to walk with courage, resilience, and unshakable hope.
Growing up with a physical disability has shaped my life in ways that words sometimes fail to express. Many people see disability as a challenge, a limitation, or a label that defines who we should be where we can go, what we can achieve, and how loudly our dreams are allowed to speak. But for me, disability has been a teacher. It has tested me, pushed me, strengthened me, and refused to let me settle for being invisible.
From childhood, I learned that life would not hand me an easy script. While others ran freely, I walked at a different rhythm. While others moved ahead without thinking twice, I often had to plan my steps, my movements, my energy, and even my courage. There were days when my body obeyed me, and days when it didn’t. Days when I wanted to blend in, yet I stood out. Days when accessing classrooms, public spaces, or even transportation felt like a battle. And yet, through all of it, I discovered one of the greatest truths of my life: a disability does not silence a destiny.
Education became my gateway to possibility. It wasn’t always smooth. Some people doubted what I could do, others whispered assumptions about my abilities, but I learned something powerful what people think about you is never more important than what you believe about yourself. And I believed that I was meant to rise, to learn, to build, and to contribute.
At university, each step I take literally and figuratively reminds me that progress is personal. I have learned to navigate academic demands with determination, advocacy, and patience. I became more than just a student; I became a voice. A leader. Someone who stands for accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunity not only for myself but for every person who feels unseen or unheard.
Through the hardships, I also discovered community. Fellow persons with disabilities who understood the quiet battles. Friends who offered support without pity. Mentors who saw potential beyond what the eye could observe. And most importantly, I found inner strength—strength that disability could not take away, and that challenges only sharpened.
That is why today is not just a celebration—it is a reminder of the heights we reach in spite of the obstacles before us.
Disability has carried me through seasons that tested my spirit. Moments when I felt tired. Moments when I had to push harder than others. Moments when accessing opportunities required three times the effort. But those experiences shaped my voice, strengthened my empathy, and taught me resilience that cannot be taught in any classroom.
And so today, I speak not only for myself but to every fellow member of the disability community:
We are not defined by the barriers around us.
We are defined by the courage within us.
To my brothers and sisters living with disabilities whether visible or invisible you are proof that strength comes in many forms. You are proof that determination can break ceilings. You are proof that a person’s worth is never measured by physical ability, but by purpose, character, passion, and heart.
We face a world that sometimes forgets to make room for us. A world with systems that still leave gaps. A world where inclusion is still growing into reality. But every single day, we show up. We push forward. We excel. We advocate. We rise.
We are not asking for sympathy we are demanding equity.
We are not seeking pity we are claiming dignity.
We are not waiting for permission we are opening the doors for ourselves and those who will come after us.
On this International Disability Day, I celebrate not only where we are but where we are going. Our stories matter. Our experiences matter. Our voices matter. Whether we are students, workers, athletes, artists, innovators, parents, or leaders, we carry power with us power earned through perseverance.
My story our story is one of rising above the expectations set for us. It is a story of turning obstacles into stepping stones. A story of rewriting the definition of ability. A story of proving that strength is not always loud; sometimes it is the quiet decision to keep going, even on hard days.
And to society, institutions, and leaders, my message is simple:
Inclusion is not charity. Inclusion is justice.
Accessibility is not a favour—it is a right.
Opportunities should not be limited by design or mindset.
Every environment becomes richer when people of all abilities can participate fully.
As we celebrate this day, I call on everyone families, friends, educators, employers, policymakers to walk with us, not ahead of us or in place of us. Together, let us build a world where disability is embraced as diversity, where differences are respected, and where every person is given the chance to shine.
To my fellow members:
Never forget how far you’ve come.
Never underestimate what you carry inside you.
Never allow anyone to shrink your dreams.
We are strong.
We are capable.
We are unstoppable.
And together, we rise.
Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This is our day, our story, and our victory.
