Keevil Stephens (centre) was given a computer system yesterday by Peter Ramsaroop (left) of Vision Guyana and Roy Singh of Computer High Tech.

Keevil Stephens (centre) was given a computer system yesterday by Peter Ramsaroop (left) of Vision Guyana and Roy Singh of Computer High Tech.
Yesterday, Keevil Stephens, who has been confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, and has faced marginalisation due to his disability, was presented with a complete computer system, courtesy of Vision Guyana and Computer High Tech.
Stephens, diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child, needs to be helped with almost everything he does. He explained that he was born without a problem, but at the age of four his problems started.
He said that at first he lost the ability to run, then to walk; by the age of 16, Stephens explained, he moved around on his knees.
At this point he dropped out of school, but continued his studies at home. He became qualified in business subjects, including accounting, economics and commerce. Once qualified, he began to teach business-related subjects at a private school.
From this post, he moved on to work with the Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation, and eventually he took up a post at the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC). In 2000, when GEC became the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Stephens found himself out of a job.
For the next eight years, he said, he survived by doing odd jobs, such as either doing someone’s taxes or tutoring a student in business. He explained that it was nothing permanent.
Stephens explained that he is now 52 years old, and is beginning to feel the effects of his aging. He said that, as he gets older, he feels his already weak body getting weaker.
This, coupled with the fact that he wants to support himself, he explained, has given him the desire to work at home.
After seeing the Victimisation Advertisement posted by Peter Ramsaroop of Vision Guyana, Stephens said, he decided to contact Ramsaroop.
Ramsaroop said he was surprised that Stephens would go to so much effort and come to his office.  He added that what really impressed him about Stephens was that he never asked for anything more that help in finding a job. He said that many others would have asked for other things.
The Chairman of Vision Guyana, after hearing Stephens’s story, decided that he would try to get the incapacitated man a computer at home, so that, with his accounting skills, he would be able to work, and in doing so, sustain himself.
Ramsaroop then contacted Roy Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Computer High Tech, and explained the situation. Singh immediately said he would help by providing a computer, mouse and keyboard. Vision Guyana donated the monitor.
Singh said that his company has helped many people before and, he added, he was honoured to help someone who thrives and dreams of being self-sufficient.
He said that he was inspired by the fact that Stephens was not asking for handouts, but was asking for a tool with which he could use the skills he already has to earn a own living.
Ramsaroop said that his goal now is to lobby for new policies for the disabled.
And the recipient of the computer said that Guyana is in need of ramps to help accommodate persons in wheelchairs who need to gain access to public buildings and places of business.