I am Ibrahim Umar Abdulkarim. I live with a special need, or, in other words, an exceptionality to require special attention. I live here in Kano State, North-Western part of Nigeria.
I work as a Special Education Teacher in a special school for pupils with hearing impairments and those with visual impairments respectively. I have been into this position for quite sometime and I enjoy any contribution I make to uplift those groups of pupils with special needs.I have aimed a little bit higher in my educational pursuit having read Inclusive Education at Master's level at the prestigious University of Manchester, North-Western England from September 2007 to December 2008. I also did a part-time lecture job at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano State, North-Western part of Nigeria from 2013 to 2019. I taught the able-bodied students alongside those with special needs at the Department of Special Education of that college.
My disability is referred in the discipline of Special Needs Education as "severely visually impaired"; however, in a layman's term, I will say I am totally blind.
It has shaped my journey so far by enabling me undergo formal western education from the primary school I attended from 1978 to 1983 at School for Blind Children, Gindiri, Plateau State, North-Central part of Nigeria, to my successful completion of my Master's Degree in Inclusive Education at the University of Manchester, North-Western England.
Initially at my young age, I thought as I am blind so are other people around me. My disability has made me know that I and, perhaps, others who have the same special need are the people affected by that condition. It has enabled me to know that in the world there are those without any special needs.
Having had this marked difference between others in the world and myself, my disability makes me feel as if I am no different from others who call themselves normal ones, thus encouraging me to participate into activities that the latter do without any iota of doubt as to whether I will perform well like them or not.
As a person with severe visual impairment, my life has always been met with challenges like hitting onto objects when walking, being labelled by the able-bodied, being disallowed from participating in school activities, the list could go on and on. However, one major challenge that I faced which remains indelible in my mind was my desire to study Mass Communication at Bayero University Kano. I presented my results to show that I am fit to taking that course.
The Head of that department looked at me and said the department had no facilities to cater for our unique needs. He advised that I applied for Special Education. Unfortunately, I could not push through to overcome that challenge because, even lecturers at Special Education Department who were supposed to enlighten other lecturers in other departments to allow blind students offer their courses of choice, they were on hand telling us that the course most suitable for us is Special Education. As like as not, I was compelled to giving in to my choice of studying Mass Communication.
Unfortunately, from the past times to the contemporary one, I can't Site any example of being empowered or being able to meet my challenges in relation to my disability. The atmosphere in those times were characterised by varieties of negative impressions on me as a result of my special need. For countless times, my urge to move on in life were thwarted by the so-called able-bodied ones whose stern belief is always that I can not do anything by myself because of my special need.Many attempts from me to resist from succumbing to the perceptions of those who were discouraging me from moving on in life proved abortive.
To me, it is nothing but a letdown from what I perceive I would be able to do in spite of my special need.
The achievement I am most proud of was my ability to go to Manchester University for my Master's Degree in Inclusive Education. It was my most proud achievement because I was able to know the commonality and divergence between studying in a Nigerian tertiary institution and those from overseas countries, especially the developed countries like England.
I was able to know how foreign sponsors ensure that blind international students get all the necessary supports to facilitate their studies which by far contrast with what is practicable in Nigerian institutions as well as sponsors, should one be that lucky to having them around.
Anytime I am fully gripped by challenges which is referred in the last question asked as "tough days", what keeps me going are constant prayers for God's intervention for the success of what I want to do after that comes the actual move to be made to actualise the change I intend making to better my life.
I'd rather I talk about what motivates me to the change in life I want to effect. When I listen to different persons with disabilities in other countries and see how they fought tooth and nail to improve, not only their lifelihood, but the lifelihood of others with disabilities in their geographical locations, I feel so motivated and urge myself to never give in to any move I find radical in me and/or in others with disabilities who might encounter similar challenges.
Some of my greatest passions, hobbies or interests that truly light me up are: the freelance online tutoring that I am engaged in. With the help of my international friends from Russia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, we were able to create WhatsApp chat groups to teach different age groups of pupils English language. The pupils we taught showed their utter satisfaction to our method of teaching and, with their consent, we were issued certificates to attest to the freelance tutoring we did. This happens to be my best passion, hobby or interests because it greatly improves my pedagogical skills.
I have been working round the clock to ensure that my fellow blind pupils benefit a lot from my teaching skills. In this, I provide the regular classroom teaching to my pupils and online teaching to them should they not understand what I taught them in class. In addition to that, the availability of information and communication technology (ICT) has opened doors for me to reach out not only to fellow blind pupils, but also to able-bodied ones to provide good quality teaching to them in the subject of English language, Braille reading and writing, to mention just a few. I think with those efforts talked about here, I am making an immense contribution in my community or beyond.
What I think people should know about me as related to talents, skills or interests are reading books and magazines oftentimes. The culture of reading is being abused by our younger generation to the so-called Social Networking Sites. A society where reading is the most hobby, I think that society becomes knowledgeable of things around them. In another development, writing is also a good passion that people should know of and appreciate. One's ability to be a prolific writer pays both pecuniarily, and intellectually. Not only that, mentoring persons in disciplines of expertise is also an added benefit that people should know of and put into effective practice. If those skills mentioned above are honestly implemented on, the sky is the limit to one's boost in lifelihood.
The Dream I am still chasing is to see that Kano State citizens with blindness or visual impairments have access to reading and writing materials and to have a printing press for the Blind in the state. For the mission to be accomplished, I need Braille Embossers, laptops, hand writing slates and styluses, and specially trained personnel to put the aforementioned materials into full and effective use. If Kano State were to have a printing press for the Blind, it will lead to many books being produced in Braille,enlarge print and on audio.
Having access to books and other publications in accessible formats are what World Intellectual Property Initiative (WIPO) advocate for in the conference held in Marrakesh, Morocco, to see that the print disabled are not denied the prerogative of reading materials handy. If I get the funding for the aforementioned materials, I will work round the clock to ensure that Kano State fully embrace the Marrakesh Treaty where those with print disabilities will have access to reading books and other publications of interest.
I will tell other persons with disabilities to not look down on themselves for the fact that they have special needs. They should let their disabilities be looked at with positivity. They should not give in to any move they want to make to enhance their lifelihood in spite of any negative attitude that might be demonstrated to them. They should show the world that their disabilities are not hindrances to their life achievements.
I am inspired by persons with disabilities in America and in the UK whose intermittent protests to ensure that they are not treated different from their able-bodied counterparts. Such protests led those countries signed the bill of Disability Discrimination Act into law.
In America, the legislators appended to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and in the UK, the same act was appended to by the Members of Parliament. Those acts improved the well-being of their persons with disabilities. In many ways. Allowances like Disability Living Allowance and Disabled Students' Allowance create tranquil atmosphere for their persons with disabilities. I am inspired by their moves because it will go a long way in making our persons with disabilities in Nigeria agitate for such privileges to be provided to them.
I wish that more people understand that a disability is not a condition that people who are into it cause for themselves to derive pleasure. Neither is a disability contagious that if a so-called normal person gets closer to them would be infected with. The people should also understand that in spite of one disability or another, the person affected is not incapable of performing chores or activities that they want to.
If I could change one thing in society to make it more inclusive for persons with disabilities, it would be the negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities. When this is fully achieved, the general challenges faced by persons with disabilities will be greatly minimised or even completely stop.
The common misconception about my disability that people have is that I am untrustworthy of other people, ie, I don't want to get closer to people for fear of being cheated. This is actually not true. Even the so-called able-bodied ones could have that psychological trait of not wanting to mingle with others. Any ill-behaviour or the likes that a person with visual impairments demonstrates is done out of human reasoning not simply because one is blind or visually impaired.
I wish that the employers and the general public should understand that in spite of one's special need or disability, she/he is able to work wonderfully well should she/he be given job opportunity.
My favourite motivational quote that gives me strength is: "To be abled is not to be enabled. To be disabled is not to be unable". This is a quote from an anonymous motivational speaker that gives me strength. The above quote is a nail hit on the head. If one is able-bodied, it does not mean that she/he can do things successfully. On the other hand, if one is disabled does not mean that he/she cannot perform any task given.
If my life were a movie, the title would be: "A BLIND PERSON WHO CAN SEE"
If I could describe my life in a single hashtag, it would be: "A TIRELESS BLIND PERSON IN THE MAKING".
Something that always makes me smile or laugh is any amusing joke that I either read by myself or heard either physically from people or from Electronic media.
With this initiative, I think Dade Foundation will impact the most on the persons with disabilities by making people with disabilities talk by themselves to share to the public what challenges they face as those with special needs and what EMPOWERMENT will help them concentrate on something lucrative rather than resorting to street begging which is a social menace to all and sundry.
I think initiatives like this matter because without them, persons with disabilities will remain in the state of ostracism. No one will be able to know what they need let alone seeking for ways of helping them out of this abyss.
In conclusion, the person interviewed should give out his/her contact information for any audience who would like to further correspond with that person with special need to do so with ease.
Let me therefore set the ball rolling by saying: Any audience who would like to contact me for further detail especially of what I dream of pursuing that will be my contribution to societal development. My contact is: Hotline: +2348032146802 and WhatsApp: +2348036571820. With many thanks to all in anticipation.
I work as a Special Education Teacher in a special school for pupils with hearing impairments and those with visual impairments respectively. I have been into this position for quite sometime and I enjoy any contribution I make to uplift those groups of pupils with special needs.I have aimed a little bit higher in my educational pursuit having read Inclusive Education at Master's level at the prestigious University of Manchester, North-Western England from September 2007 to December 2008. I also did a part-time lecture job at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano State, North-Western part of Nigeria from 2013 to 2019. I taught the able-bodied students alongside those with special needs at the Department of Special Education of that college.
My disability is referred in the discipline of Special Needs Education as "severely visually impaired"; however, in a layman's term, I will say I am totally blind.
It has shaped my journey so far by enabling me undergo formal western education from the primary school I attended from 1978 to 1983 at School for Blind Children, Gindiri, Plateau State, North-Central part of Nigeria, to my successful completion of my Master's Degree in Inclusive Education at the University of Manchester, North-Western England.
Initially at my young age, I thought as I am blind so are other people around me. My disability has made me know that I and, perhaps, others who have the same special need are the people affected by that condition. It has enabled me to know that in the world there are those without any special needs.
Having had this marked difference between others in the world and myself, my disability makes me feel as if I am no different from others who call themselves normal ones, thus encouraging me to participate into activities that the latter do without any iota of doubt as to whether I will perform well like them or not.
As a person with severe visual impairment, my life has always been met with challenges like hitting onto objects when walking, being labelled by the able-bodied, being disallowed from participating in school activities, the list could go on and on. However, one major challenge that I faced which remains indelible in my mind was my desire to study Mass Communication at Bayero University Kano. I presented my results to show that I am fit to taking that course.
The Head of that department looked at me and said the department had no facilities to cater for our unique needs. He advised that I applied for Special Education. Unfortunately, I could not push through to overcome that challenge because, even lecturers at Special Education Department who were supposed to enlighten other lecturers in other departments to allow blind students offer their courses of choice, they were on hand telling us that the course most suitable for us is Special Education. As like as not, I was compelled to giving in to my choice of studying Mass Communication.
Unfortunately, from the past times to the contemporary one, I can't Site any example of being empowered or being able to meet my challenges in relation to my disability. The atmosphere in those times were characterised by varieties of negative impressions on me as a result of my special need. For countless times, my urge to move on in life were thwarted by the so-called able-bodied ones whose stern belief is always that I can not do anything by myself because of my special need.Many attempts from me to resist from succumbing to the perceptions of those who were discouraging me from moving on in life proved abortive.
To me, it is nothing but a letdown from what I perceive I would be able to do in spite of my special need.
The achievement I am most proud of was my ability to go to Manchester University for my Master's Degree in Inclusive Education. It was my most proud achievement because I was able to know the commonality and divergence between studying in a Nigerian tertiary institution and those from overseas countries, especially the developed countries like England.
I was able to know how foreign sponsors ensure that blind international students get all the necessary supports to facilitate their studies which by far contrast with what is practicable in Nigerian institutions as well as sponsors, should one be that lucky to having them around.
Anytime I am fully gripped by challenges which is referred in the last question asked as "tough days", what keeps me going are constant prayers for God's intervention for the success of what I want to do after that comes the actual move to be made to actualise the change I intend making to better my life.
I'd rather I talk about what motivates me to the change in life I want to effect. When I listen to different persons with disabilities in other countries and see how they fought tooth and nail to improve, not only their lifelihood, but the lifelihood of others with disabilities in their geographical locations, I feel so motivated and urge myself to never give in to any move I find radical in me and/or in others with disabilities who might encounter similar challenges.
Some of my greatest passions, hobbies or interests that truly light me up are: the freelance online tutoring that I am engaged in. With the help of my international friends from Russia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, we were able to create WhatsApp chat groups to teach different age groups of pupils English language. The pupils we taught showed their utter satisfaction to our method of teaching and, with their consent, we were issued certificates to attest to the freelance tutoring we did. This happens to be my best passion, hobby or interests because it greatly improves my pedagogical skills.
I have been working round the clock to ensure that my fellow blind pupils benefit a lot from my teaching skills. In this, I provide the regular classroom teaching to my pupils and online teaching to them should they not understand what I taught them in class. In addition to that, the availability of information and communication technology (ICT) has opened doors for me to reach out not only to fellow blind pupils, but also to able-bodied ones to provide good quality teaching to them in the subject of English language, Braille reading and writing, to mention just a few. I think with those efforts talked about here, I am making an immense contribution in my community or beyond.
What I think people should know about me as related to talents, skills or interests are reading books and magazines oftentimes. The culture of reading is being abused by our younger generation to the so-called Social Networking Sites. A society where reading is the most hobby, I think that society becomes knowledgeable of things around them. In another development, writing is also a good passion that people should know of and appreciate. One's ability to be a prolific writer pays both pecuniarily, and intellectually. Not only that, mentoring persons in disciplines of expertise is also an added benefit that people should know of and put into effective practice. If those skills mentioned above are honestly implemented on, the sky is the limit to one's boost in lifelihood.
The Dream I am still chasing is to see that Kano State citizens with blindness or visual impairments have access to reading and writing materials and to have a printing press for the Blind in the state. For the mission to be accomplished, I need Braille Embossers, laptops, hand writing slates and styluses, and specially trained personnel to put the aforementioned materials into full and effective use. If Kano State were to have a printing press for the Blind, it will lead to many books being produced in Braille,enlarge print and on audio.
Having access to books and other publications in accessible formats are what World Intellectual Property Initiative (WIPO) advocate for in the conference held in Marrakesh, Morocco, to see that the print disabled are not denied the prerogative of reading materials handy. If I get the funding for the aforementioned materials, I will work round the clock to ensure that Kano State fully embrace the Marrakesh Treaty where those with print disabilities will have access to reading books and other publications of interest.
I will tell other persons with disabilities to not look down on themselves for the fact that they have special needs. They should let their disabilities be looked at with positivity. They should not give in to any move they want to make to enhance their lifelihood in spite of any negative attitude that might be demonstrated to them. They should show the world that their disabilities are not hindrances to their life achievements.
I am inspired by persons with disabilities in America and in the UK whose intermittent protests to ensure that they are not treated different from their able-bodied counterparts. Such protests led those countries signed the bill of Disability Discrimination Act into law.
In America, the legislators appended to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and in the UK, the same act was appended to by the Members of Parliament. Those acts improved the well-being of their persons with disabilities. In many ways. Allowances like Disability Living Allowance and Disabled Students' Allowance create tranquil atmosphere for their persons with disabilities. I am inspired by their moves because it will go a long way in making our persons with disabilities in Nigeria agitate for such privileges to be provided to them.
I wish that more people understand that a disability is not a condition that people who are into it cause for themselves to derive pleasure. Neither is a disability contagious that if a so-called normal person gets closer to them would be infected with. The people should also understand that in spite of one disability or another, the person affected is not incapable of performing chores or activities that they want to.
If I could change one thing in society to make it more inclusive for persons with disabilities, it would be the negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities. When this is fully achieved, the general challenges faced by persons with disabilities will be greatly minimised or even completely stop.
The common misconception about my disability that people have is that I am untrustworthy of other people, ie, I don't want to get closer to people for fear of being cheated. This is actually not true. Even the so-called able-bodied ones could have that psychological trait of not wanting to mingle with others. Any ill-behaviour or the likes that a person with visual impairments demonstrates is done out of human reasoning not simply because one is blind or visually impaired.
I wish that the employers and the general public should understand that in spite of one's special need or disability, she/he is able to work wonderfully well should she/he be given job opportunity.
My favourite motivational quote that gives me strength is: "To be abled is not to be enabled. To be disabled is not to be unable". This is a quote from an anonymous motivational speaker that gives me strength. The above quote is a nail hit on the head. If one is able-bodied, it does not mean that she/he can do things successfully. On the other hand, if one is disabled does not mean that he/she cannot perform any task given.
If my life were a movie, the title would be: "A BLIND PERSON WHO CAN SEE"
If I could describe my life in a single hashtag, it would be: "A TIRELESS BLIND PERSON IN THE MAKING".
Something that always makes me smile or laugh is any amusing joke that I either read by myself or heard either physically from people or from Electronic media.
With this initiative, I think Dade Foundation will impact the most on the persons with disabilities by making people with disabilities talk by themselves to share to the public what challenges they face as those with special needs and what EMPOWERMENT will help them concentrate on something lucrative rather than resorting to street begging which is a social menace to all and sundry.
I think initiatives like this matter because without them, persons with disabilities will remain in the state of ostracism. No one will be able to know what they need let alone seeking for ways of helping them out of this abyss.
In conclusion, the person interviewed should give out his/her contact information for any audience who would like to further correspond with that person with special need to do so with ease.
Let me therefore set the ball rolling by saying: Any audience who would like to contact me for further detail especially of what I dream of pursuing that will be my contribution to societal development. My contact is: Hotline: +2348032146802 and WhatsApp: +2348036571820. With many thanks to all in anticipation.