By Uche Chukwu
A United States of America--based charity organization, Human Baseline Initiative (HBI) and its Nigerian country partner the Hope Givers initiative (HoG-I) have donated vision assistive learning devices to 80 visually impaired students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (VISNAU), Awka, Anambra State at no cost to them.
The items donated through the Centre for Disability and Special Needs Research Centre (CENDASNER) Unizik to VISNAU members were White Canes, Power. Banks, White Canes, Mobility training, and assistive academic tools, including Digital Voice Reorders and On-the-Go keyboards/Phone Chargers and Noise- cancelling headsets.
The 80 visually-impaired students who benefitted from the gesture included Edward Onwughara, Ofuonye Deborah, Ifesi Oba,Chisom Favour, Chinedu Esther Chiamaka, and Chidinma.
The joint community partnership is aimed at creating lasting changes and giving hope to change lives themed: "Building Access, Digital Empowerment"
Speaking during the Giving Ceremony at Unizik Auditorium, the founder of HBI and sponsor of the assistive devices, Chiadika Eleh expressed the hope that the collaboration with HoG-I with a history of similar disposition to charity works would bear significant fruits in the nearest future.
She observed that the programme was a childhood dream come true, recalling her involvement at Google in creating an Artificial Digital Access - how to make life for persons with disabilities to work easily and walk more freely to their desired points.
Represented by her father, Emeka Eleh, at the event, the sponsor said she offered to provide fund for the provision of various vision assistive devices to meet the visually-impaired students 'basic needs for learning and graduating well.
The sponsor further recalled: "Chiadika Eleh's passion for accessibility didn't begin with Human Baseline Initiative; it started back in college, where a simple belief took root: everyone deserves the tools to live independently. That belief shaped an entire career, leading Chiadika to the University of Pennsylvania, where earning a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Bioengineering was driven by the hope of designing prosthetics for those who had lost limbs in Chiadika's home country of Nigeria.
"That early passion took an unexpected turn during a Senior Design Capstone Project at Penn. The project led to a startup Chiadika co-founded, built around a device to help blind individuals measure liquids. The idea came from a discovery made during that project: blind parents were struggling with something as basic as safely measuring medicine for their own children.
"It was a small problem with an enormous human cost, and solving it planted a seed that would keep growing for years to come.
She pointed out:: "From there, Chiadika's path led to Google, where, as a software engineer, the mission shifted from physical tools to digital ones, working to make Google's products accessible to people of all abilities. It sharpened a conviction that has never left: accessibility isn't a feature, it's a right.
"After years spent solving problems as an engineer, she noted that she "discovered something more: a passion for people themselves and a pull to give back to where it all began. That pull led Chiadika to found Human Baseline Initiative, a nonprofit committed to bringing the same standard of accessibility achieved in America home to Nigeria.
She pointed out that the event is an realization of a deep honour "to give back in this way, and with hope that this becomes a lasting, sustainable effort, so that visually impaired and disabled students throughout Nigeria always have the resources they need to succeed, Chiadike Eleh added.
In her speech, the founder of Hope Givers Initiative (HoG-I, Onyeka Okey-Udegbunam revealed that she felt bad the today a visually impaired student, Chidinma fell into a gutter and injured herself while on her way to fetch water due to unavailability of a guiding white cane made an indelible memorable mark on her mind, leading to her inspiration for the birth of Hope Givers Initiative.
Okey-Udegbunam who is the Executive Director of HoG-I highlighted the process of application and documentation for the 80 beneficiary students observing that possession of the white cane remains compulsory for any visually impaired person.
According to her, the Digital Voice Reorders and On-the-Go and Noise- cancelling headsets would assist solve the problem of non-recording of words of lecturers in the absence of recorders. stressing that the availability of power banks would make lack of power from EEDC or other electricity distribution firm a thing of the past.
While noting that the noiseless devices help to lock out distractions and make the user more attentive, she pointed out that the keyboard item helps as an interface,to write and communicate.
The HoG-I boss observed that the event is a monumental milestone, but not about distributing assistive devices, but to bridge the gap of ability and opportunity for the visually impaired students who she described as resilient and brilliant.
Okey -Udeggunam hailed both the visually impaired students and the graduates ones for being good ambassadors and advocacy campaigners for change, breaking stereotypes, overcoming the odds and refusing to be on the streets begging.
Welcoming the participants, the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Stanley Anyaehie expressed immense gratitude to the sponsors and assured the collaboration would deepen the vision to make the stay of the special needs students very comfortable.
The Vice Chancellor who was represented by the Director of Centre for Disability and Special Needs Research (CENDASNER), Dr. Obinna Anachuna pointed out that there's ability in disability, stressing: "We've all able, but abled differently, " observing that the institution provided job opportunities without discrimination of any form.
The Vice Chandelier revealed that CENDASNER was recognized by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as the Best Inclusive University for admitting one of the highest numbers of blind candidates among Nigerian universities, observing that Unizik students are doing well in personal development and academic performance.
Anyaehie noted that the Centre has attracted a TETFUND Grand of N39 million for research to develop to an App, to teach visually-impaired students and improve services at the centr, in addition to a study Grant to make life more comfortable for them.
He further said that an arrangement has been concluded to build a separate hostel accomodation where only visually- impaired students could live free of charge or at 50 percent discount rate and solve their accommodation and transportation problems in order to ensure a comfortable and conducive teaching and learning environment .
Anyaehie noted that the the institution looks forward to a philanthropist and wife of GUO Motors to complete the Centre soonest could speed up work at the Centr.
He urged students to join VISNA in order to qualify to benefit from its programmes and equally enrol in the music, computer skills training and literacy programmes offered at the Centre.
According to him, the institution has been able to meet 70 percent of challenges faced by the Centre, adding that the remaining needs are being provided by Human Baseline and Hope Givers initiatives.
Presenting a paper as the Keynote Speaker, Hon. Mrs Ify Obinabo thanked the Human Baseline Initiative and Hope Givers Initiative for the gesture aimed at putting smiles on faces of VISNA members, describing it as an expression of giving hope to the hopeless.
Obinabo cited Cosmas Okoli, the founder of ASCEND, a physically -challenged person who has a flourishing automobile industry and Hon. Chuks Ezewuzie , a Visually impaired technocrat and lawyer who served as Special Adviser on Disability Matters to former Governor Willie Obiano and later Chairman of Anambra State Disability Commission for defying Vishal impairment conditions to excel even better than most perceived persons and role modelling as self- fulfilled persons.
The immediate past Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare Obinabo reiterated that each person not to feel shy to seek for assistance or support but to be bold enough, try and identify his or her natural gift and talents as they could achieve whatever thing they focus their mind on.
"This condition will not define you. Be prepared to do that which God wants you to do and become... God gave every human being a special gift to thrive and strive".
According to her, while their vision impairments might be a limitation, but but "you should have the mindset that your disabilities can't limit you once once You're determined to fight to succeed."
In his remarks, the founder of VISNAU Anderson Onyemaechi called on students to shrug off the inferiority complex, but see themselves as possessing equal abilities like the human beings to improve their self esteem and worth.
Anderson who ok nice served as VISNAU President noted that the body was formed to champion the cause and interest of visually impaired students, urging them to have a "Yea, We Can" do it spirit.
In her contribution , the Face of Visually Impaired, Chisom Lorita Nonyelu, thanked the organisers for the gesture which she noted would go a long way in meeting the vision needs of the students.
Omalicha Nonyelu, a Student of Guidance and Counselling Department, Faculty of Education who recently organized a special empowerment programme themed: "Out of Sight Is Not Out Of Vision," featuring free medical outreach skills acquisition, empowerment, her product launch and exhibition appreciated the organizers of HBI and HoG-I event. She emphasized that the gesture would create awareness, promote inclusiveness and enhance academic success.
In their remarks, the Traditional Ruler of the Association, Igwe Malachy, (Eze Chimereze 1) of the Business Administration Department of Unizik and the First Senate President of VISNA, Alexandra appreciated the donors and supporters for making life better for the members of VISNA.
They called on their mates to make best judicious and gracious use of the assistive devices to improve their lives and get to higher levels.
In a vote of thanks, a beneficiary, Chidinma thanked the sponsors for the gesture, recalling that HoG-I gave her the first cane she used in her first year.