Sylvia Adzia — Armless but capable

From Alberto Mario Noretti, DRAMAVE Lifestyle Oct - 08 - 2022 , 11:36

She gave birth to two boys, Justice and Mohammed, a few years after the marriage and that was grounds for joy in the family home in the farming community of Dramave in the Agotime-Ziope District in the Volta Region.

That bliss was, however, not to last as it suddenly gave way to an incident which changed her life forever a decade ago.

Lured to the farm
Her husband, Lumorvi Adzia, asked her to accompany him to the farm again that day, only for him to slash her arms repeatedly, resulting in the amputation of both arms later at the Ho Teaching Hospital.

Narrating the horrifying story to The Mirror at Dramave on Tuesday (October 4), Sylvia said her husband initially asked her to choose between drinking a quantity of weedicide or enduring slashes with the cutlass.

“This sounded strange and scary to me, and so I told him that I would go home and cook for the children but he prevented me from leaving the farm,” she said.

Proceeds from the farm
The woman said she then realised her husband was angry with her because she argued with him over the proceeds from the farm.

“We produced tomatoes bountifully but he always sold the entire harvest and used the money to drink hard liquor,” she told this reporter.

According to Sylvia, her husband was also sulking over her earlier threat to quit the marriage if she would not have a share in the harvests.

The junior high school drop-out said after a while when she refused to drink the weedicide, her husband drew “a big cutlass” and started butchering her.

After slashing his wife, he left her for dead and fled into neighbouring Togo and lived there until his death recently.

Busy on the farm

The loud cries of Sylvia attracted someone to the scene, and he called others to assist him take her to the community and then to Ho for medical attention.

Move on
After her discharge from hospital, Sylvia, now armless, was determined to move on in life without resorting to begging or depending on others.

With that strong determination, she realised she could till the soil with a shovel instead of a hoe.

Through that she produces enough maize and cassava to feed her children.

Sylvia has a daughter, Kekeli, eight, who was born after she met another man who initially vowed to be her life-long partner but later abandoned her with the excuse that he was being mocked by members of the community over her disability.

It was a touching moment when Kekeli walked to the farm and offered to help her mother with the shovel she used to work on the farm.

Daughter Kekeli helps Sylvia with the shovel

A few weeks ago, Sylvia was presented a deep freezer by the Agotime-Ziope District Assembly and the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development to embark on an income-generating activity.

“I plan to set up a little shop and sell frozen food and various provisions, and so I need some seed money now for that venture,” she said.

Four years ago, Sylvia contested with three other people for the seat of assembly member in her area and lost.

She speaks Ewe, Twi and English and loves singing and dancing borborbor and agbadza in her spare time.

She stood by the roadside and directed this reporter to the community, using her phone.

Sylvia (third left) dancing borborbor at a recent function at Kpetoe

The most striking features in Dramave are the deities and shrines.
Sylvia: But we also have the Church of Pentecost hear.
TM: So, do you worship there?
Sylvia: No. I believe in the tradition of our ancestors.
TM: What other form of support do you need now?
Sylvia: I still share a room with my sister. I have some blocks and so I need help to put up a room for myself.
TM: In other words, you need some privacy?
Sylvia: Yes. So that I can also host you when you come visiting again (while smiling).

Meanwhile, the NDC Member of Parliament for Agotime-Ziope, Charles Agbeve, has described Sylvia as a jewel and a development inspiration for her community.

“She deserves a special award which I will sponsor and present to her at the forthcoming Farmers’ Day celebration” said the MP.

For her part, the District Chief Executive, Emilia Adzimah, announced plans by the assembly to visit her at home and evaluate her occupational needs to support her accordingly.

“She is a determined woman who can make the most out of the little support she gets ,” the DCE added.