Colette Tanyi is a polio survivor from Cameroon who is now living and working in Finland. Tanyi was born into an average family but at a very young age developed a high fever and was rushed to the hospital where her right leg was not moving. She was diagnosed with poliomyelitis. From that moment on her whole life changed. Her family and the community treated her as an outcast with her family thinking she was a cursed child who brought misfortune to the family.
Early life was between school and hospital. She had to wear a heavy boot on one foot and she hated that. School mates would not play with her and she grew up with shame and isolation. But her father still supported her and bought her books. She loved to learn. As she grew older she joined a religious commune where she was accepted. She went back to school and launched her own business and eventually moved far away from her family, settling in Finland. She eventually forgave her family for how they treated her and in doing so felt better of herself. Colette is now a successful businesswoman who founded NKINDLE, a public relations and communication business in Finland.
Her purpose for today's talk was to give personal testimony to the polio eradication work Rotary International continues to pursue. The race is not won yet!
Early life was between school and hospital. She had to wear a heavy boot on one foot and she hated that. School mates would not play with her and she grew up with shame and isolation. But her father still supported her and bought her books. She loved to learn. As she grew older she joined a religious commune where she was accepted. She went back to school and launched her own business and eventually moved far away from her family, settling in Finland. She eventually forgave her family for how they treated her and in doing so felt better of herself. Colette is now a successful businesswoman who founded NKINDLE, a public relations and communication business in Finland.
Her purpose for today's talk was to give personal testimony to the polio eradication work Rotary International continues to pursue. The race is not won yet!