Chiyera refuses to let anything stop him

Disability does not mean inability. This is the story of Chrisford Chayera, a Malawian painter who uses his mouth and has built a successful career despite being physically challenged. Chayera, who runs Surprise Images, was not born with a disability.

He was attacked by polio in 1982 while in school, leaving his hands and legs paralysed. “It was difficult at first. My hands and my legs got paralysed at once.

I could not use my hands. So, I tried to hold a pencil with my mouth so that I could write. Eventually, I got used to writing with my mouth,” he said.

[paywall]

“I decided to venture into this skill as a professional artist,” he says. His breakthrough came when he painted a portrait of former president Dr Bakili Muluzi. Chayera personally presented the painting to Muluzi, an experience he describes as life-changing.

“My first painting was the portrait of His Excellency, the former president of Malawi, Dr Bakili Muluzi. He was so amazed when he discovered that I had painted with my mouth. That’s what made people know that there is a person who paints with the mouth,” he said.

Through his talent, Chayera gained recognition locally and internationally. With support from the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (Macoda), he travelled to Paris in France, where he also showcased his artworks. Over the years, he has achieved more than just business success.

Through his ministry, he supports less privileged children by paying their school fees and providing them with food. “I’ve got a ministry. The ministry deals with the little ones, the children who are less privileged.

I do support them myself. I pay school fees. I give them food,” he said.

Despite his achievements, Chayera says marketing his artworks remains a challenge. “In Malawi, I am facing a lot of challenges in terms of marketing. I don’t have a proper market to sell my artworks.

Mostly, I depend on tourists who visit Malawi. The artist believes that disability should not define a person’s future. He encourages other people living with disabilities to find skills that can help them earn a living.

“Begging is not a solution. People who are disabled should find something to do on their own. Like myself, I am an artist.

I use my mouth as a tool to earn my living. They should not look down upon themselves,” he said. Looking ahead, Chayera dreams of opening an art technical college where he can train others.

[/paywall]