Accra — For many able-bodied women, marriage alone is one heck of a problem, how much more a combination of marriage and career. Our courts actually have stockpiles of files on divorces, much of which occur within the very first year of marriage.

So it demonstrates how difficult it is for any woman to do a combination of marriage and career, especially a person that belongs to a group, which the Ghanaian society deems incapable of doing anything. But Mrs Sefakor G.M.A. Pomeyie has demonstrated that this is doable, and easily too.

Born on 29th on November to Mr and Mrs Kumadu in the Volta Region, Sefakor, as she is affectionately called, became disabled at a tender age of eight months as a result of polio attack. Currently, she uses two crutches with two callipers, as well as, a wheel chair to go about her daily activities.

Every year, when July 6th comes around, the day reminds her of many bitter-sweet experiences. Exactly five years ago, Sefakor tied the knot with A.S.I. Believe Bubu Pomeyie of the Ghana Immigration Service.

"Hmmm, this day reminds me of both sweet and bitter experiences. In fact, bitter experiences before the marriage and sweet experiences after the marriage but I want to say that God has led us through, all the same," she told me.

What are some of the bitter experiences? She replied, "Actually it's not good to revive the wounds." But reluctantly, and in order to encourage her fellow disabled women she said, "I will just tell you a little about some of the challenges, pointing out that "We did not have it on a silver platter."

According to her, some of their friends, especially those of Bee (this how she calls Mr Pomeyie), "became our major obstacles." For instance, "some of my husband's friends rejected him for marrying me" and some "called me so many derogatory names." Sefakor said, "I could remember someone asking him if he ever thought of the future; how blurred it was for him considering the fact that I am using crutches and callipers."

Weird of all, "some of the friends even warned him against wedding me because they thought wedding was for the able-bodied." She stopped there and explained "As I said earlier, its advisable to recollect the sweet memories rather than the traumas we went through because anytime l recollect those scenes, tears fill my eyes."

On the contrary, she stated, "we never had any problem from both families." Bee's family were very supportive because they knew that Sefakor was very industrious. "They never looked at my disability as a hindrance but rather, they encouraged me to go further and make a mark."

She also found the words of Bee very motivating. "My husband always tells me 'Don't listen to anybody's story but let's swallow everything together', hence he calls me Mimi (which means let's swallow it in our local language)."

So how industrious could she be? "You know, there is no single job on this earth that as a woman, I don't do; be it cooking, washing, ironing, receiving visitors, counselling, nursing and the rest, that any able-bodied can do to keep the home."

Sefakor has translated this ability to manage the home into a great asset with which she has been managing her career as a tutor and an advocate on disability rights.

After schooling at the Mount Mary Training College she made it to the University of Cape Coast to pursue a degree course in Bachelor of Arts where she majored in French and English. Presently she works with the municipal office of the Ghana Education Service at Nsawam in the Eastern Region.

Besides, she is the Vice President of the Women's Wing of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) in the Eastern Region. She also chairs the GSPD branch in the Akwapem South Municipality. In addition, Sefakor says she is a lobbyist for the GSPD and has been undertaking a number of advocacy projects for the group nationally.

"Indeed, I am an advocate and a lobbyist of GSPD." Among others, she has been writing change-oriented advocacy articles for publication in newspapers since December 2006. "I also do some counselling and coaching."

Last year, under the auspices of the GSPD, she was in Denmark, where she participated in a course on human rights as they related to the disabled. According to her, "the course broadened my horizon. For example, we learnt about the UN Convention on Human Rights of the Disabled, Disability Sports, Journalism, Self realization of the disabled, Organisational Structure and how the whites see the Disabled as compared to how we as Ghanaians see them."

Out of the lessons learnt, and the experiences acquired, Sefakor has started a program on GTV from which everybody will benefit. "My first program came on the 26th April this year." She has also already written to the special education unit of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to do something about disability sports.

So how does she blend marriage with her career as an advocate and a professional teacher? Her answer was, "Actually my husband has been very helpful because at times when he realises that I'm busy, he will help in the cooking and other chores in order to allow me do my GSPD or office work."

But like many other advocates, the challenge always lies in funding, she said. "It's only God!" She said, "no money comes from anywhere" but out of the sheer commitment and dedication she has towards the course of her fellow persons with disabilities, she is able to "go the extra mile."

She also contends with lack of commitment from a good number of PWDs who are unwilling to associate themselves with the GSPD. "Also, some of my colleague disables come with a lot of demands especially financial ones, since most are unemployed."

So she counsels that "my colleagues should try to learn and try to be productive. They must be confident and bold about themselves and not what society says about them .They have to take up a challenge so that they can change the mindset of the Ghanaian society."

While she remains committed to her dual role as a wife and a career, Sefakor says "I still pray that his (her husband) love for me should continue to be genuine because I still believe through Christ, my husband becomes the paragon of my life."