Ruptly
"In the quiet workshop of the small town of N’Douci, a story of resilience is unfolding as blind Sebastien Yao Kouame hand-weaves plastic into beds and armchairs, transforming recycled material into a source of income and independence after losing his sight as a teenager. Footage filmed on Monday shows the 34-year-old craftsman working with his hands, measuring, tightening, and shaping plastic strands into furniture. His workshop has become the centre of a small but growing business, built on an initial investment of around €75, supported by training, family assistance, and local demand. “I lost my sight completely in 2013,” Kouame recalls, describing how glaucoma gradually took his vision while he was still in school. “Losing your sight doesn’t mean losing your life. You can still work with others to earn a living.” “My recovery is down to the training, because after the training, I set up my own business, and that’s where I rebuilt my life. My wife is also by my side, supporting me, and that has played a part in my recovery," he added. His wife, Yao Affoue Solange, says she is proud of Kouame, noting: “If it were anyone else, they’d have stayed with their parents, but he fights and does his best to look after us – that’s what I like about him.” Today, Kouame is fully dependent on touch to guide his work, relying on what he describes as 'a sixth sense' to identify patterns and correct structure as he weaves. “When I finish a piece of furniture, I can tell it’s well-made just by touching it,” he says. “It often amazes me.” Despite his disability, Kouame has developed a functioning production system with support from his wife and nephews, who assist with materials and colour selection that he cannot visually distinguish. Orders now include sofas and chairs delivered beyond his local community, including to Abidjan. One of his clients, entrepreneur Akouba Angola Aggre, said the craftsmanship exceeded expectations. “He came all the way from N’Douci to deliver,” she noted. “What I asked for is exactly what he delivered - and even beyond that.” In Cote d’Ivoire, where informal employment dominates the economy, small-scale craftsmanship and micro-enterprises remain key survival strategies, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas like N’Douci."
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