By Ibrahim S. Bangura
January 7, 2025—The visually impaired residents of the remote Koinadugu and Fabala districts face formidable challenges in their quest for inclusion, access to essential services, and opportunities for a better life.
These districts, known for their vast rural landscapes and rich cultural heritage, lack the basic services needed by visually impaired individuals, leaving them in a constant struggle to navigate daily life.
Mariatu Koroma, a visually impaired resident of Kabala town, sheds light on the difficulties she encounters daily. “Moving around town is a challenge because the roads are not designed with us in mind. There are no guide paths, and vehicles rarely stop for us,” she explains. Like many others, Mariatu relies heavily on family members and friends to assist her with errands and social activities.
The absence of specialized education facilities further exacerbates the problem. Blind children in these districts often miss out on formal education due to the lack of necessary infrastructure and learning materials.
Richard Conteh, a pupil at the Kabala School for the Blind, shares his experience of living with blindness, which he developed at the age of one due to measles. Despite numerous efforts by his parents to restore his sight, they were unsuccessful. “We are not considered in this part of the country. It doesn’t mean that becoming blind is the end of life for us. We are blind, but we have hope. I appeal to the government to help us with food, medicine, school structures, and learning materials. These are very difficult to access in these districts. If we are engaged, we won’t feel the pain of our disability. To parents, when your children are blind, don’t keep them at home. Send them to school. Blind children can also excel. When we are educated, we lessen the burden on the government and our parents,” Conteh passionately states.
Morie S. Kamara, the head boy of the Kabala School for the Blind, highlights additional challenges they face in attending school. “Even though we have a school bus, it doesn’t operate every day because of a lack of fuel. We’ve been neglected here. People assume that blind individuals cannot do anything because of our disability. That’s not true. We can excel if we’re given the opportunity,” she says.
Kamara shares his personal story, explaining that he was not born blind but lost his sight at five months old. “That was a sad moment for me. However, I didn’t give up because it’s the will of God. What we need as blind people is attention and support. The government should focus on helping blind people, especially those of us in remote areas. Education is right, but many blind children here are deprived of it. We need schools that cater to our unique needs. Vocational institutions would also help those blind individuals who prefer skills training over formal education. We need school materials, food, clothes, medicine, and other basic facilities,” she emphasizes.
Healthcare services for the blind in Koinadugu and Fabala are also inadequate. Specialized care is virtually nonexistent, forcing individuals to travel long distances for medical services. For many, the journey is both physically and financially draining.
Isata Kamara, a resident of Fabala, shares her plight: “I need regular check-ups, but the cost of medicine at hospitals and pharmacies is beyond my reach. This often discourages us from seeking medical attention, which worsens our health conditions. Recently, one of our blind friends, who also suffered from epilepsy, was sent back to his family in the village because he wasn’t receiving proper care at the boarding home due to a lack of government support. Our teachers can’t do everything for us. We urgently need accessible healthcare for the blind and closer to home.”
The blind community in Koinadugu and Fabala is calling for urgent action to address their challenges. Improved infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities are vital to ensuring their inclusion and empowerment. As Mariatu Koroma aptly states, “We may be blind, but we have dreams and aspirations. All we need is the support to make them a reality.”