Moises Rodrigues.
PANAJI
Moises Rodrigues has worked in the Vasco Municipality for 14 years. Despite his disability from polio, which affects his legs, Moises has faced many challenges. Now 40 years old, he is happily married and a father to a four-year-old.
Moises wasn’t born with polio.
“My parents said I was a normal child until a fever before my first birthday left me with polio. One leg is completely paralysed and the other is 40% paralysed. As a child, walking and playing were very hard. I attended Green Lawn Institute until class IV. After my father passed away, my mother had to work multiple jobs to support us. My elder sister left school after class VII to start working,” Moises recalls.
He joined a government school at Vadem but had to leave after class VII to earn money.
“I used to use my hands and legs while walking. My father, a technician, made callipers for me so that I could walk with their support. But once he passed away, there was nobody to repair them. I had to discard them as they were heavy, and I got injured. I began walking, limping, supporting the paralysed leg with my hand and pushing forward the other weak leg. I had to earn, so I worked in a restaurant, picked up plates, and helped in the kitchen for 18 months. Then I worked at a general store,” adds Moises.
Determined to continue his education, Moises did his SSC privately while working small jobs.
After passing SSC, he worked at the Verna Industrial Estate for eight months before getting a job in the municipality on a daily wage. After four years, he secured a permanent position there in 2010.
“My wife, Steffy D’souza, and daughter, Amy Jackson Rodrigues, are my world now. We take care of each other. Our marriage was through ‘soirik’ (arranged). I accepted her gracefully as she has an intellectual disability and I am physically disabled. We make a perfect match, and I feel blessed to have a family of my own,” smiles Moises.
After losing his father at a young age, Moises lacked awareness about disabled rights.
Meeting the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) and its president, Avelino de Sa, helped him a lot.
He got involved in sports and started Disabled Alliance Inclusive Goa (DAIG) to raise awareness in his community.
Moises points out that society often only asks disabled people if they receive a pension, without considering their overall well-being or dreams. Through DAIG, he aims to change this mindset and encourage disabled people to dream big and seek jobs or start businesses.
He believes that awareness about disabled rights should start early to help others avoid his struggles.
Moises feels Goa should improve facilities for the disabled, noting that other states offer more support.
He highlights that the playground in Vasco lacks disabled access, as there are no ramps, only stairs.
He wrote to the Sports Authority of Goa three years ago but hasn’t received a response.
Moises participates in national sports events and has won medals in swimming, including a gold in breaststroke at the Para Olympics and a silver at the state level.
He uses a wheelchair, rides a modified two-wheeler, and drives an automatic car.
Despite the difficulties, Moises hopes for better support and urges people not to neglect disabled individuals.
