“BEFORE, I WAS FRUSTRATED BUT NOW I AM FULL OF HOPE” – SARAH AJAYI, VISUALLY IMPAIRED GIRL SAYS

 The blind Sarah has since gained admission to the School for the Blind in Lagos, where she is doing well courtesy of a sponsor. However, as a follow up to her development, Our Correspondent, Yanju Uwala engaged her in an exclusive interview as presented below.

Penpushing: How has it been with you for the past few months since when you’re in school?

Sarah: It has been interesting, very interesting and educating also, and I have learnt a lot so far.

Penpushing:  You’re in a school of rehabilitation centre, so how have you been coping with your colleagues that are of same condition like you?

Sarah: I am really coping with them very well because we are of same condition, I am really coping a lot, am coping, and I am also friendly.

Penpushing: Hope there has not been any cause for misunderstanding between you and your colleagues?

Sarah: Well, the world of the blind (physically challenged) is another world entirely, we live like sight of all show, so we have misunderstanding sometimes and we settle it among ourselves.

Penpushing: With this bead-made bag with you, it is very surprising that with your present situation you are able to make it, how did you manage to produce this bead-made bag?

Sarah: Well, at first it was frustrating, it was very hard at first, so I was like can I do it? Because it was giving me a lot of headache, so after few weeks, I got it, so this is it now.

Penpushing: Is it part of your training in school?

Sarah: Yes, it is part of our training. We have so many different crafts we are trained in the school.

Penpushing: Can you tell us some of the crafts you’re been trained in the school?

Sarah: We are trained in bead-making, tye and dye, soap making, nylon weaving, also we are taught about the keyboard.

Penpushing: After your training in the school, what do you intend to go into?

Sarah: Well, bead making is also very good but the thing is that it is not tenable before the people, that is, people do not buy it the way they supposed to buy it, because the beads are very expensive and people are pricing it anyhow but after my course, I won’t just base on bead making, soap making, but if there is help, I pray there should be help, I will try to add things that people are selling, trading, so selling of beads and also soap making too. Also, after the learning of my computer too, there is nothing you can’t use the computer to do these days, so I will connect with the internet, and put the bead making and soap making on it.

Penpushing: Between now and before, what has been the difference between the Sarah of now and the one of before?

Sarah: Then I was frustrated, then I was hopeless, I was like what am I going to become in life, I don’t see myself becoming anything later in future. But today, I can see myself in future becoming a very important person and also, though I have disability but now I have ability, that is, I can do anything I want to do.

Penpushing: What about your parents, where are they and how have they been contributing towards your education and livelihood?

Sarah: I have only my Mum, my daddy is dead. My mummy has been coping and trying the little she can, she cannot do it alone, Daddy Dimeji  Kayode-Adedeji  is doing the most. I appreciate him. I must also appreciate another sponsor, who has insisted that, his name must not be mentioned

Penpushing: So, what can you say about Daddy Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji?

Sarah: He’s a nice person; he’s always there for me. I always call him, anytime I need something in school, and God has been helping him for me. I really appreciate him and pray that God will continue to uphold and bless him. Amen