Akiwa na umri wa miaka 21 tu, Irfan Karmali aligundulika na ugonjwa wa "Wilson's disease," ugonjwa ambao unasababishwa na uwingi wa madini ya shaba mwilini, ikiathiri ubongo, na hatimaye mikono, miguu na viungo mbalimbali vya mwili. Baadhi ya vyakula vyenye uwingi wa shaba ni kama vile, chocolate, kamba (prawns), na vyakula vipatikanavyo katika kopo. Kwa sasa Irfan ni mpiga picha, nchini Tanzania, akionesha kuwa sio kila tatizo ulipatalo maishani ndio mwisho wako.
"Ugonjwa huu humpata mtu mmoja kati ya watu 35,000, hivyo kuufanya kuwa kati ya magonjwa yenye kujitokeza mara chache sana, ilihali ni ugonjwa wa kurithi."
MAISHA YAKE YA AWALI
Irfan Diamond Karmali, ambae sasa ana miaka 39, alizaliwa katika jiji la Mwanza mnamo tarehe 26, April, mwaka 1983. Yeye ni mtoto wa mwisho katika familia ya watoto wawili.
Akiwa pamoja na kaka yake, NoorKareem Karmali, ambae kwa sasa ni mfanyabiashara, walisoma shule za St. Constantine na Arusha Meru, jijini Arusha.
KUGUNDULIKA NA WILSON'S DISEASE
Akiwa na umri wa miaka 21, Irfan alianza kuuguliwa na magonjwa yasiyojulikana, ikiwa ni pamoja na baadhi ya viungo vya mwili kama mkono kushindwa kufanya kazi, huku matamshi yake kuanza kushindwa kueleweka.
"Baada ya kuhangaika nae katika hospitali mbalimbali, na tatizo kushindwa kutambulika lipo wapi, tuliamua kumpeleka India kwa ajili ya matibabu zaidi na hapo ndipo tulipoambiwa kuhusiana na ugonjwa huu," alisema NoorKareem, kaka wa Irfan.
Familia ilipatwa na mshangao, kwani ilihali ugonjwa huu kuwa ugonjwa wa kurithi, hawakuwahi kujua mtu yeyote aliekuwa na ugonjwa huo, hivyo ilibidi kuanza kujifunza kuhusiana na ugonjwa huu unaoleta hitilafu katika ubongo na mwili.
Aliongeza, "Tuliumia sana, na tulipokea habari hizi kwa uchungu, ila tulibidi tuwe na nguvu ilikuweza kumhudumia ndugu yetu. Daktari alituambia kuwa kulikuwa na njia mbili za kutibu ugonjwa huu, njia ya kwanza ni kwa kumpatia dawa, ambazo zingechukua muda mrefu hadi kuanza kumsaidia kupona, au kwa kufanya operesheni ya ini, ingawa ni hatarishi kwani kulikuwa na asilimia 50/50 za kuishi ama kupoteza uhai. Sisi kama familia, tuliamua atumie dawa, tukimuachia Mungu mengineyo."
Irfan anaelezea familia yake kama nguzo kuu iliyomsaidia kupambana na changamoto anazokutana nazo, vilevile kukubaliana na hali aliyokuwa nayo.
Katika mahojiano nae alisema, "Nikieliezea familia yangu, sidhani kama ningeweza kukabiliana na msongo wa mawazo niliokuwa napata kutokana na ugonjwa nilionao. Walinipa sapoti na kunijali pale nilipowahitaji, kitu kilichonifanya niweze kukabiliana na changamoto zangu na hatimae kuweza kufanya kazi ya upigaji picha."
IRFAN NA TASNIA YA UPIGAJI PICHA
Safari ya Irfan ya upigaji picha ulianza baada ya kuuguliwa kwa muda mrefu na kukosa kitu cha kufanya. Hapo ndipo alipogundua kuwa alikuwa anapenda sana kupiga picha na alitumia simu pekee. Baada ya Kaka yake kuliona hilo, aliamua kumzawadia camera aina ya Sony ambayo ndio ilikuwa mwanzo wa safari yake kama mpiga picha fanisi.
“I am fond of my big brother Noor without whom i would not achieve my passion of photography, he’s been with me throughout my journey of sickness to date in one sentence I can say, WHAT I AM TODAY IS BECAUSE OF MY BROTHER NOOR,” anasema Irfan.
Hata hivyo, katika utendaji wake wa upiga picha, Irfan hutumia use Sony a7riii, manfrotto tripod, Godox ad600pro and Godox of camera flash v850ii.
Aliiambia Mwananchi Scoop kuwa lens anayoipenda ni Zeiss Batis 855mmf1.8.
“Napenda usharpness wake,” alisema na kuongeza,
“When I travel I take my camera, 2 lenses, 1 is for portraits and other for cityscapes and my tripod … I love clicking photos especially cityscapes.”
Irfan alitestify kuwa anapendelea zaidi kujifunza masuala ya upiga picha kupitia mtandao wa YouTube, vilevile huwa ana follow account za photographers wengine ili kujifunza zaidi.
Vile vile, ukiachana na familia yake, kuna watu wengine ambao wanamtia hamasa Irfan.
“There are a lot of people who have influenced me. The person who is my biggest inspiration is Achmad Zulkarnain who has no leg no hand, he is an amazing photographer, if he can do that, then why not me,” alisema.
Kijana huyu anapenda sana upiga picha, alisema kuwa, “I love clicking portraits and candid moments. I love capturing moments because these moments won't return again. I wish I would have learnt earlier how to click images.”
Aliwataja Osse Greca Sinare, Azh, Clemence Photography na Alikhan Wallani kama kati ya photographers anaowatazamia zaidi nchini.
Walakini, hakuna kazi isiyokuwa na changamoto, hata kama unaipenda kiasi gani.
Kwa upande wake, inamuwia vigumu sana kupiga picha akiwa amesimama muda mrefu ama model kutokutulia.
Irfan anaelezea, “It’s very difficult to cop up like explaining to the models or walking for long a period or even standing, but I’m a fighter, I do my best to cop up.”
“My most challenging part is my one part of body which is disabled, but I make sure keep moving it,” aliongeza Irfan.
Kama asingekuwa mpiga picha, Irfan alikuwa na ndoto ya kuwa ‘chef’ kwani anapendelea sana kupika, ila maisha ndio yakampeleka katika tasnia nyingine ambayo hata nayo ametokea kuipenda sana.
NENO LA MWISHO
“My advice to people is never lose hope have faith and you can achieve anything in life, nothing is impossible,” alisema Irfan.
Hakika hakuna lisilowezekana kama umeweka akili yako katika kulifanikisha. Changamoto ni sehemu ya Maisha ila jinsi tunavyojibeba kutoka kwenye changamoto hizo ndivyo tunavyojijenga kuwa stronger zaidi na pale tulipo.
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