Bianca Iboma
In keeping with its humanitarian gesture and commitment to the welfare of persons living with albinism, the Onome Akinlolu Majaro Foundation has taken its community support higher by offering full scholarship to a blind undergraduate student of University Of Lagos, Akoka living with albinism, Victor Kalu.
Co-founder of the Foundation, Onome Okagbare Majaro, said she became concerned about his condition upon meeting him and decided to support his educational quest by awarding him a scholarship.
Majaro who said it was the first time they would award scholarship to a person living with albinism who happens to have a physical disability said they were happy to support the young lad who is determined to acquire a university certificate despite his condition.
Although, the Foundation plans to sponsor more students with albinism to study at inclusive and high achieving schools and universities, she said lack of funds was a major challenge.
“What we can afford is government school like the federal and state schools.I want them to have a chance to learn in safe, supportive and healthy environment fully integrated among their peers, where they can experience the love and equality to which every child is entitled”, she said.
She appealed to the government to respond to the needs of children living with albinism and support their education stating that they need protectorate centres around for their safety.
Kalu narrated how his ordeal began and the difficulties he encountered before the relief from the foundation.
The 100-level student of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos disclosed that he was not born blind but a victim of circumstances.
He said that in 1998, two people were fighting and he tried to mediate but one of them threw a punch which landed on his face, his eyes were affected.
He said when the incident happened, he sought medical attention at a public hospital but unfortunately, the wrong medication was administered on him and he lost his sight.
Kalu said he had completed his primary education at that time and was planning to go to secondary school when he became blind.
” After the incident because of my driving force I had to go back to school but this time it was a blind school, where I spent 10 years. I am from Bende in Umuahia, Abia state. I am the fourth child in a family of six, my father is a commercial driver, and I lost my mum years back,” he stated.
” I am so happy that the foundation has brought succour to relieve me of my pain. They have given me hope, I used to have this phobia of surviving, especially with the cost of getting education”, he added.
Kalu noted that he was going to make good use of the opportunity offered him and that the scholarship would go a long way to making his studies easier.