Catherine Uteka (43) is a formidable woman. She is
a qualified teacher, a grassroots activist, a widow and a mother of
one. She is also partially deaf, totally blind and living with HIV.
Catherine, a former primary and secondary school was infected with HIV in the year
2000 and four years later she was heavily attacked by meningitis and
eventually lost three senses: smell, sight and hearing. She was told by
"I was then told by [Malawi] government officials that I should
resign from my job because the state does not employ people who are
blind - only non-governmental organisations do," says Catherine.Catherine then took her story to the Ministry of Persons with
Disabilities who listened and sympathised with her. "Officials from the
Ministry of Persons with Disabilities said despite what I had
experienced, including losing my sight, I could still work in
government. The Ministry then sent me to Mulanje Vocational School,
where I learnt Braille," explains Catherine.
The Ministry of Education also sent her to Domasi College of Higher Education in the old capital Zomba for further studies.
"But despite acquiring all these qualifications, calls for my
resignation from my job by Malawi government officials continued," says
Catherine. According to a file from Malawi civil service dated 30 August
2010, the extremely able Catherine was forcibly retired on medical
grounds.
The termination letter, signed on behalf of secretary for education,
science and technology, is written as if Catherine was glad to have her
position terminated, stating: "I am pleased to inform you that the board
has recommended that you should retire as you cannot discharge your
duties effectively as a teacher... . May I take this opportunity to
thank you most sincerely for the services you have been rendering to
this Ministry and the entire Malawi nation."
Catherine began receiving her pension in October 2010 after her forced resignation, but she was underpaid.
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