MICHAEL Gator, a visually impaired but self motivated young man of Topreman, a village community in the Eastern Region of Ghana who enrolled himself in school to further his education despite his disability has received support from Airtel Ghana.
Michael’s story is an inspiration in every sense of the word. He lost his sight after he completed Junior High School, and as a result, he lost his job. He lost his father at a tender age, and unfortunately his mother has complications that have rendered her blind too.
Michael’s story is a blend of strength of will and endurance dealing with life without sight.
To Michael disability is not an inability; he has enrolled himself at the school of the blind but due to financial difficulties he could not to Senior High School even though he had admission.
According to Michael he had an admission to Wenchi Senior High School but could not further his education because there was not one to finance his education.
Airtel Ghana has awarded Michael a full scholarship to enable him continue his education. Now Michael is ready for his secondary education at the Wenchi Senior High School.
“I am so happy; sometimes I ask myself, why I didn’t meet Airtel just after Junior High School”
Also in the Ashanti Region ,the dreams and aspirations of five siblings out of which four are physically challenged , to be loved again and given equal opportunities at education has been given a life line by Airtel Ghana’s award winning Corporate Social Responsibility programme ,’Airtel Touching Lives’ .
In episode two of the pulsating TV series of ‘Ariel Touching Lives’ , the team looked back at the living condition of the five siblings who have been left in the care of the aunty after the demise of their biological mother.
It is a story of an auntie’s unflinching love and the determination of a young man bracing the odds to assume a daunting responsibility and to make his physically challenged brothers happy.
Madam Rebecca, the Children’s Auntie narrated that life became meaningless for her after her sister’s demise and the responsibility left on her to care for four physically challenged nephews who can hardly move or do anything without help.
“Honestly when my sister died, I was a bit mad. I wept bitterly; I asked that death should take me instead of her. I didn’t know what to do “, she said.
Rebecca said she braced herself for the task and assumed care of her nephews in spite of the mounting challenges she faced in feeding and clothing them. Caring for them according to Rebecca was a difficult task.
Vincent Aquah, the only able sibling of the five in his quiet moments has wondered why he came different from his other brothers.
“I ask God why I wasn’t born that way and why were they born that way?”
Through the support given to the family by Airtel Touching Lives, Vincent is now a graduate of the Catholic University of Ghana where he studied Economics.
Vincent also had an opportunity to do his internship with Airtel Ghana after school and he says “It was a great experience”. According to him, he is now better placed to face the future.
Two of Vincent’s physically challenged brothers David and Emmanuel, are also pursuing their educational dreams at various levels .David had just completed his Junior High Education while Emmanuel is in Senior High School offering Visual Arts.
African Eye News
