U-Preethi Srinivasan usebone impilo njengomdlali wekhilikithi othembisayo noke waba ukapteni weqembu lekhilikithi lesifunda saseTamil Nadu U-19. Wayengumbhukudi ongumpetha, enekhono eliphezulu ezifundweni, futhi eyintombazane eyayithakaselwa ontanga nabazali bayo ngokufanayo. Kumuntu ohamba naye onjengaye, ukulahla izinto azithandayo kungase kube yinto enzima kakhulu ukuyenza. Kodwa ngemva kwengozi eyayibonakala ingenangozi yamphuca ikhono lakhe lokuhamba futhi yamfaka esihlalweni sabakhubazekile impilo yakhe yonke, uSrinivasan kwadingeka afunde konke ayekwazi futhi aqale impilo kabusha. Kusukela edlalela iqembu lekhilikithi labesifazane lase-Tamil Nadu eneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili nje ubudala kuya ekulahlekelweni umnyakazo ngaphansi kwentamo yakhe eneminyaka engu-17, kusukela ekuzizweni engenakuzisiza ngokuphelele ngemva kwengozi kuze kube manje ukuhola iqembu ku-NGO yakhe, i-Soulfree, i-Srinivasan isihambe indlela ende. Ngiye ku-fighter.
Yini eyagqugquzela uthando lwakho lwekhilikithi?
Ikhilikithi ibonakala isegazini lami. Lapho ngineminyaka emine nje kuphela, ngo-1983, i-India yadlala umdlalo wayo wokuqala wamanqamu weNdebe Yomhlaba ibhekene nompetha ababebusa, iWest Indies. Wonke amaNdiya ayehlala phambi kwesikrini sikamabonakude futhi asekele iNdiya. Nokho, ngokuphambene nokushisekela izwe lami okukhulu, ngangisekela iWest Indies ngoba ngangingumlandeli oshisekayo kaSir Viv Richards. Ngangena shí kulo mdlalo kangangokuthi ngaba nomkhuhlane. Kwaba njalo ukusangana kwami kwekhilikithi, futhi ngemva nje kwalokho, ubaba wangiyisa ekuqeqesheni okusemthethweni nomqeqeshi ohlonishwayo u-P K Dharmalingam. Ekhempini yami yokuqala yasehlobo, kwakuyimi ngedwa intombazane phakathi kwabafana abangaphezu kuka-300 futhi ngangiphila kahle ngakho. Ngineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili, ngaphambi kokuba ngikhule ngokwanele ukwazi ukuthi kwakuyinto enkulu, ngase ngivele ngathola indawo yokudlala kwe-11 yeqembu lekhilikithi elikhulu labesifazane baseTamil Nadu. Emasontweni ambalwa nje ngaphambi kwengozi yami, ngase ngikwazile ukungena eqenjini lezoni eseningizimu futhi ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngizomela isizwe maduze.
Wehlelwa yingozi eyashintsha ngokuphelele indlela yokuphila kwakho. Ungasitshela ngakho?
Ngo-July 11, 1998, ngaya ohambweni olwaluhlelwe ikolishi lami ePondicherry. Ngangineminyaka engu-17 ngaleso sikhathi. Lapho sibuya ePondicherry, sanquma ukudlala ogwini isikhashana. Ngenkathi ngidlala emanzini aphakeme emathangeni, igagasi elihlehlayo lageza isihlabathi esingaphansi kwezinyawo zami futhi ngakhubeka amafidi ambalwa ngaphambi kokuba ngibhukule ngobuso emanzini kuqala. Ngesikhathi ubuso bami bungena ngaphansi kwamanzi ngezwa umuzwa onjengokwethuka uhamba usuka ekhanda uya ozwaneni, ungishiya ngingakwazi nokunyakaza. Ngangike ngaba umbhukudi ompetha ngesinye isikhathi. Abangane bami bavele bangidonsela phandle. Ngazibambela mathupha ngosizo lwami lokuqala, ngatshela ababeseduze ukuthi kufanele baqinise umgogodla wami, nakuba ngangingazi ukuthi kwakwenzekeni ngempela kimi. Lapho ngifika esibhedlela ePondicherry, izisebenzi zageza izandla ngokushesha ‘kwicala lengozi’, zanginika izisekelo zentamo ezenzelwe iziguli ezine-spondylitis, futhi zangibuyisela e-Chennai. Alukho usizo lwezokwelashwa oluphuthumayo olwatholakala kimi cishe amahora amane ngemva kwengozi yami. Lapho ngifika eChennai, ngayiswa esibhedlela esinemisebenzi eminingi.
Wabhekana kanjani nalesi simo?
Angizange ngibhekane kahle nakancane. Ngangingakwazi ukubekezelela indlela abantu ababengibheka ngayo, ngakho ngenqaba ukuphuma endlini iminyaka emibili. Ngangingafuni ukuba nengxenye ezweni elalingangifuni ngenxa yento engangingenakuyilawula. Khona-ke kuthiwani uma ngingenza okuncane, ngingumuntu ofanayo ngaphakathi, impi efanayo, iqhawe elifanayo—pho kungani ngangibhekwa njengesehluleki? Angizange ngiqonde. Ngakho ngazama ukuzivalela ngaphandle. Kwakuwuthando lwabazali bami olungenamibandela olwangikhipha kancane kancane futhi lwanginikeza ukuqonda okujulile kwempilo.
Ubani obekuyisistimu yakho enkulu yokwesekwa?
Abazali bami, ngokungangabazeki. Banginike isipho esiyigugu kunazo zonke engasithola ekuphileni—sokuthi abazange bangilahle. Badela ukuphila kwabo buthule ukuze ngiphile ngesizotha. Sobathathu sathuthela edolobheni elincane lethempeli laseTiruvannamalai eTamil Nadu. Lapho ubaba eshona ngokuzumayo ngenxa yesifo senhliziyo ngo-2007, umhlaba wethu waphazamiseka. Kusukela lapho, umama ubelokhu enginakekela yedwa, futhi usaqhubeka nokwenza. Ngemva kokushona kukababa, ngezwa nginesikhala esikhulu, kwathi ngo-December 2009, ngashayela umqeqeshi wami ucingo ngamtshela ukuthi uma kukhona osafuna ukungithinta, angamnika inombolo yami. Azange ngilinde ngisho umzuzu owodwa, ucingo lwakhala ngokushesha. Kwaba sengathi abangani bami babengakaze bangikhohlwe. Ngemva kwabazali bami, abangane bami basho konke kimi.
Ngaphandle kokusekelwa, kufanele ukuthi ubhekane nobunzima obumbalwa…
Ngibhekane nobunzima kuzo zonke izinyathelo. Saba nenkinga yokuthola abanakekeli endaweni yakithi, ngoba babengibheka njengebika elibi. Lapho ngizama ukujoyina ikolishi, ngatshelwa, Awekho amakheshi noma amarempu, ungajoyini. Ngenkathi ngiqala i-Soulfree, amabhange awazange asivumele ukuthi sivule i-akhawunti ngoba awawamukeli izigxivizo zesithupha njengesiginesha evumelekile. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezine ubaba eshonile, umama waba nesifo senhliziyo futhi ngemva kwalokho kwadingeka ahlinzwe i-bypass. Ngemva kokuphila ukuphila okuvikelekile ngaze ngaba neminyaka engu-18, ngashaqeka kungazelelwe lapho ngibekwa esikhundleni sokuba ngumenzi wezinqumo nomondli. Ngaphatha impilo kamama. Ngangingazi lutho mayelana nokutshalwa kwezimali kukababa noma isimo sethu sezimali. Kwadingeka ngifunde ngokushesha. Ngokusetshenziswa kwesofthiwe ecushiwe yokukhuluma, ngaqala ukusebenza isikhathi esigcwele njengombhali wewebhusayithi esekelwe kumamuvi, engisaqhubeka nokuyenza.
Yini ekushukumisele ukuthi uqale iSoulfree?
Lapho umama esezohlinzwa ngaphandle, abangane babazali bami beza kimi bathi, Ingabe uke wacabanga ngekusasa lakho? Uzosinda kanjani? Kulowo mzuzu, ngezwa impilo iphela kimi. Angikwazi ukucabanga ukuphila kwami ngaphandle kukamama manje; Ngangingeke ngikwenze ngaleso sikhathi. Uyangeseka kuwo wonke amazinga. Lapho ukubaluleka okungokoqobo kombuzo kuqala ukungena kimi, nokho, ngazama ukucwaninga izindawo zokuhlala zesikhashana nezesikhathi eside kubantu abasesimweni sami. Ngashaqeka lapho ngizwa ukuthi kulo lonke elaseNdiya, kwakungekho nesisodwa isikhungo esihlonyiselwe ukunakekela owesifazane osesimweni sami isikhathi eside, okungenani ngokwazi kwami. Lapho sibuyela eTiruvannamalai ngemva kokuhlinzwa kukamama, ngathola ukuthi amantombazane amabili akhubazekile engangiwazi ayezibulele ngokudla ushevu. Bobabili babengamantombazane asebenza kanzima; umzimba wabo ongaphezulu wawusebenza kahle, ubavumela ukuba bapheke, bahlanze futhi benze imisebenzi eminingi yasendlini. Naphezu kwalokhu, bakhishwa inyumbazane imindeni yabo. Ngashaqeka lapho ngicabanga ukuthi izinto ezinjalo zingenzeka. Ngihlala edolobheni elincane lethempeli, futhi uma lokhu kungenzeka emhlabeni wami, khona-ke ngingacabanga izinombolo kulo lonke elaseNdiya. Nganquma ukuba i-ejenti yoshintsho futhi yazalwa kanjalo uSoulfree.
I-Soulfree isiza ngaziphi izindlela abantu abakhubazekile abahlukene?
Imigomo eyinhloko ye-Soulfree ukusabalalisa ukuqwashisa mayelana nokulimala komgogodla eNdiya nokuqinisekisa ukuthi labo abaphila nalesi simo esingelapheki okwamanje banikezwa ithuba lokuhola impilo ehloniphekile nenenjongo. Okugxilwe kakhulu kwabesifazane, futhi sizibophezele ekwesekeni abesifazane abakhubazeke kakhulu, ngisho noma kungekona ukulimala komgogodla. Iphrojekthi yamanje esebenza kahle iwuhlelo lwemali yenyanga nenyanga olusekela labo abanokulimala okusezingeni eliphezulu abavela ezizindeni ezihola kancane. Labo abazabalazela ukuphila kwansuku zonke banikezwa `1,000 ngenyanga isikhathi esingangonyaka owodwa. Kukhona ‘uhlelo lokuphila oluzimele’, lapho siqinisekisa khona ukuthi ukuzimela ngokwezimali kwabahlomulayo kuyaqhubeka ngokuthengwa kwemishini yokuthunga kanye neminye imisebenzi yokuxhasa ngezimali imbewu. Siphinde futhi sihlele amadrayivu okunikela ngezihlalo zabakhubazekile; ukwenza izinhlelo zokuqwashisa ngokulimala komgogodla; ukuhlinzeka ngokuvuselelwa kwezokwelapha kanye nosizo lwezezimali lwezinqubo zokwelashwa eziphuthumayo; futhi uxhume abantu abanokulimala komgogodla ngokusebenzisa izingcingo zenkomfa ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi bayazi ukuthi ababodwa.
Ungakwazi ukwabelana ngezindaba zempumelelo ezimbalwa ezivela ku-Soulfree?
Kuningi. Thatha isibonelo, uManoj Kumar, owazuza indondo yegolide kuzwelonke emqhudelwaneni wama-200 m wesihlalo esinamasondo e-India. Usanda kuwina kuNational Paralympic Championship ebibanjelwe e-Rajasthan ngo-2017 nango-2018. Ube ngumpetha wezinga lombuso ngesikhathi eza eSoulfree ezofuna usizo. Naphezu kokubhekana nezinselele ezimangalisayo ekuphileni, okuhlanganisa ukushiywa abazali bakhe nokuthunyelwa esikhungweni sokunakekela abagulayo, uManoj akazange alahlekelwe yithemba. Lapho ngibhala ngoManoj kanye nesidingo sokuphakamisa kanye nokunika amandla abasubathi abamangalisayo abafana naye, abaxhasi abanomusa beza ngaphambili ukuze bathole usizo. Enye indaba ngekaPoosari, owalimala umgogodla futhi wahlala embhedeni iminyaka eyisikhombisa. Ngokusekelwa nguSoulfree, kancane kancane wazuza ukuzethemba okwanele futhi manje useqale ukulima. Ngemva kokuqashisa amahektha amathathu omhlaba usekhule amasaka elayisi angu-108, futhi wazuza ngaphezu kuka-`1,00,000 okufakazela ukuthi abakhubazekile bangakwazi ukunqoba noma iyiphi inselele futhi bazuze imiphumela emihle ngomzamo oqotho.
Umqondo ojwayelekile mayelana nokukhubazeka usahlehla impela eNdiya. Ithini imibono yakho ngalokhu?
Kukhona ukunganaki okuvamile kanye nokunganaki emphakathini wamaNdiya mayelana nokukhubazeka. Umqondo oyisisekelo wokuthi ukuphila kwezinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ambalwa ezilahlekile lapha nalapha akubalulekile, udinga ukushintsha. Imithetho isikhona kakade yokuthi zonke izakhiwo zomphakathi okuhlanganisa nezikhungo zemfundo kufanele zibe nezihlalo zabakhubazekile, kodwa le mithetho ayisetshenziswa yonke indawo. Umphakathi wamaNdiya unobandlululo kangangokuthi labo asebevele bekhubazeke ngokomzimba bavele badilizwe bayeke. Ngaphandle uma umphakathi wenza isinqumo esiphusile sokusikhuthaza ukuthi siphile izimpilo zethu futhi sibe amalungu omphakathi akhiqizayo, ukuletha uguquko olubalulekile kunzima.
Ngokusho kwakho, yiziphi izinhlobo zezinguquko ezidingekayo ukuze usize abantu abakhubazekile abahlukene baphile impilo engcono?
Izinguquko zengqalasizinda njengezindawo ezithuthukisiwe zokuvuselelwa kwezokwelapha, ukufinyeleleka kwezihlalo zabakhubazekile kanye nokufakwa ngamathuba alinganayo kuzo zonke izici zokuphila, njengemfundo, ukuqashwa, ezemidlalo, futhi mhlawumbe okubaluleke kakhulu, ukufakwa komphakathi okwamukela umshado, njll. Ngokwenothi elibaluleke kakhulu, okuphelele. uguquko enqubweni yokucabanga kanye nombono wayo yonke ingxenye yomphakathi iyadingeka. Izimfanelo ezinjengozwela, uzwelo nothando zibalulekile ukuze sigqashule ezimpilweni zemishini esiziphilayo namuhla.
Imuphi umyalezo ongawunikeza abantu mayelana nokukhubazeka?
Ithini incazelo yakho yokukhubazeka? Ubani onekhono eliphelele? Cishe akukho muntu, ngakho-ke asikho yini sonke abakhubazekile ngendlela eyodwa noma enye? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe ugqoka izibuko? Uma wenza kanjalo, kusho ukuthi ukhubazekile noma usezingeni eliphansi kunanoma yimuphi omunye umuntu? Akekho obona kahle ogqoka izibuko, ngakho-ke uma okuthile kungaphelele kudinga idivayisi eyengeziwe ukuze kulungiswe inkinga. Abantu abasebenzisa izihlalo ezinamasondo, ngandlela thize, abehlukile. Banenkinga, abakwazi ukuhamba, futhi izinkinga zabo zingalungiswa ngesihlalo esinamasondo. Ngakho-ke, uma abantu beshintsha umbono wabo ukuze bakholelwe ukuthi wonke umuntu ucishe afane, khona-ke bazozama ngokuzenzakalelayo ukuqinisekisa ukuthi wonke umuntu uyafakwa emphakathini wethu.
Ungakwazi ukwabelana ngemicabango yakho mayelana nokubandakanywa kuwo wonke ama-sphere?
Ukuze ukufakwa kube yinjwayelo kuyo yonke imikhakha emphakathini, umuzwa wokuxhumana udinga ukungena ujule kithi sonke. Ukuphakanyiswa kweqiniso kungenzeka kuphela lapho sonke sisukuma ndawonye. Abantu nezinhlangano kumele bathathele phezulu izibopho zabo zomphakathi futhi baphendule ngezinkinga zomphakathi wethu. Ngeshwa, mhlawumbe ngenxa yobuningi babantu, i-India isalele ekufakeni nokwamukela ukuhlukana kwabantu. Labo abakhubazeke kakhulu bavame ukucwaswa ezindlini zabo, bafihlwe futhi bacatshangwe njengehlazo nomthwalo. Kungenzeka izinto zimbi manje, kodwa nginethemba lekusasa eliqhakazile ngoba baningi abantu abaqhamuke bezongeseka ezikhathini zamuva nje.
Yiziphi izinhlelo zakho zekusasa?
Icebo lami lekusasa kuphela ukusabalalisa uthando, ukukhanya, ukuhleka nethemba emhlabeni ongizungezile. Ukuba i-ejenti yoshintsho kanye nomthombo wamandla amahle kunoma yisiphi isimo kuwumgomo wami. Ngithola lolu kuwuhlelo oluyinselele nolunelisayo kunawo wonke. Mayelana ne-Soulfree, ukuzibophezela kwami kukho kuphelele. Umgomo uwukuguqula ngokuyisisekelo imibono ekhona mayelana nokukhubazeka eNdiya. Impela izodinga impilo yonke yomsebenzi, futhi izoqhubeka isikhathi eside ngingekho.
