"Why stay at home and wait for the government’s disability grant? The money is too little and it cannot cater for all our needs. This is the time to stand up and contribute to the economic development of our country, despite our disabilities."

This is a message of hope from a disabled man, Chillboy Rathando (28) of Nzhelele-Mauluma, who took matters upon himself by becoming a shining example to show the world that the disabled are useful community members who can make a difference in life.

As a young boy, Chillboy became the laughing stock of his peers because he had deformed lower limbs. He cannot walk properly and efforts to restore his legs through operations were never successful. Despite all this, the hard-working Chillboy is the brain behind Rathando Chillboy Toilet Services and Pest Control.

"I started selling small articles from house to house, trying to supplement my disability grant. Imagine a man who cannot walk properly moving around in the hot sun. I told myself that I would succeed although I knew that it was not an easy task."

Chillboy said he then tried his hand at toilet services and pest control. With the little money he had saved from his small business, he managed to buy a bakkie and he has provided more than 26 formerly unemployed community members with jobs. He does old pit toilet draining and erection of new pit toilets, controlling pests, including rats, snakes, bats, ants, lice and cockroaches.

He proudly said: "I decided to come up with something unique because this is a competitive world." However, the disabled hero says there are challenges in his daily chores as a disabled company owner. "Some people think I would never do the job to their satisfaction because they judge me on my physical appearance. I am happy because they now know what I am capable of doing and they are impressed with my work." He explains how they drain an old pit toilet: "It is advisable not to dig another toilet pit if the one you are using is full. We drain out all the dirt and transfer it to another hole, which we dig on the opposite side of the old toilet pit. After draining, the old toilet pit becomes empty and it will be ready for use again instead of getting rid of the whole toilet."

Chillboy advises other disabled members of the community: "History will judge us wrongly if we don’t show the whole world that we are also capable. We need to work hard and prove ourselves because that is what God brought us into this world for." Chillboy can be contacted at 072 320 0523