Ramatoulaye Diallo, 28, was the first blind student at the University of Conakry and is now a reporter at the daily newspaper Le Lynx.
“I lost my vision when I was three. I was one of eight children and all my siblings attended school but I had to stay at home and do nothing because there were no schools that accepted blind students.
“When my sister left for school each day I cried. My mother bought me pencils and a school-bag to console me. My sister used to read to me from her schoolbooks and I remembered everything she read to me. I pestered my mother every day to send me to school.
“Sainte Marie high school in Conakry began accepting blind students and five of us started there. I was so excited.
“At first I suffered a lot in my studies. The teacher had never taught a blind person before – he was scared. Anything that involved drawing, like physics or maths, I could not do, but I was very good at history, French and biology and eventually I made the honours list.
“There was no special equipment so I wrote my notes in Braille and a friend copied down my homework for me.
“Studying for our baccalaureate exam was the hardest thing I have ever done. But nothing has ever been easy for me. My family – especially my mother – encouraged me.
“I got into University of Guinea and at first it was much harder than [my earlier studies] because the teachers had no time to explain things to us. I decided to study journalism because I wanted to set an example to other blind people so they can stop just becoming beggars in the streets. Now I have six blind friends who are at university.
“I worked for a while at Radio Nostalgie and did some children’s TV. As a Lynx reporter I travel all over the city just like any other journalist. My bosses have never decided not to send me to cover a report – they let me do anything. I never have any fear. I always push to go. I do not want to remain behind my desk.
“There are difficulties being blind in my job. It is annoying sometimes to have to be with a guide. But people recognise me all over the place so it can be easier to get interviews.
“Discrimination persists. Lots of families still do not accept sending their [blind] children to school. And some schools do not accept blind students in class. They say 'we have no more places' but that is just an excuse.
“You have to be very motivated if you want to go out and make it if you are blind. I just did not want to sit still and do nothing."
aj/mc/np
“I lost my vision when I was three. I was one of eight children and all my siblings attended school but I had to stay at home and do nothing because there were no schools that accepted blind students.
“When my sister left for school each day I cried. My mother bought me pencils and a school-bag to console me. My sister used to read to me from her schoolbooks and I remembered everything she read to me. I pestered my mother every day to send me to school.
“Sainte Marie high school in Conakry began accepting blind students and five of us started there. I was so excited.
“At first I suffered a lot in my studies. The teacher had never taught a blind person before – he was scared. Anything that involved drawing, like physics or maths, I could not do, but I was very good at history, French and biology and eventually I made the honours list.
“There was no special equipment so I wrote my notes in Braille and a friend copied down my homework for me.
“Studying for our baccalaureate exam was the hardest thing I have ever done. But nothing has ever been easy for me. My family – especially my mother – encouraged me.
“I got into University of Guinea and at first it was much harder than [my earlier studies] because the teachers had no time to explain things to us. I decided to study journalism because I wanted to set an example to other blind people so they can stop just becoming beggars in the streets. Now I have six blind friends who are at university.
“I worked for a while at Radio Nostalgie and did some children’s TV. As a Lynx reporter I travel all over the city just like any other journalist. My bosses have never decided not to send me to cover a report – they let me do anything. I never have any fear. I always push to go. I do not want to remain behind my desk.
“There are difficulties being blind in my job. It is annoying sometimes to have to be with a guide. But people recognise me all over the place so it can be easier to get interviews.
“Discrimination persists. Lots of families still do not accept sending their [blind] children to school. And some schools do not accept blind students in class. They say 'we have no more places' but that is just an excuse.
“You have to be very motivated if you want to go out and make it if you are blind. I just did not want to sit still and do nothing."
aj/mc/np
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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