By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Kambia, Sierra Leone – May 20, 2025: The blind and visually impaired population in Kambia District is making an urgent plea for a dedicated school, as the region continues to lack essential educational infrastructure for children with disabilities.
Among those affected is 12-year-old Alhassan Kamara, who dreams of learning to read and write but has no access to Braille materials or trained teachers. His story is shared by over 100 blind and visually impaired individuals in Kambia who remain isolated, dependent, and unable to pursue formal education.
Ali Conteh, coordinator of the Youth Advocate Network in Kambia, describes the situation as a human rights issue, stating, “Education is not a privilege; it’s a right. Denying blind children the chance to learn is denying them a future.”
Challenges and Barriers
Despite national policies promoting inclusive education, implementation in rural areas like Kambia remains limited. The district’s education offices admit that there is no current plan to establish a school for the blind, citing insufficient trained staff and resources.
Families with blind children face difficult choices—either sending them to distant schools like the Milton Margai School for the Blind in Freetown or keeping them home without educational opportunities. Many parents, such as Fatmata Conteh, a widowed mother of four, struggle with the financial burden of relocating their children for schooling.
“I sell fish to feed my children. I don’t have money to send my daughter to Freetown. Even if I could, who would take care of her?” she laments.
Call for Action
Community leaders and civil society groups are urging government ministries and international organizations like UNICEF and Sightsavers to establish a specialized school or learning center for the blind in Kambia.
Pastor John Samura, who runs a community youth group, emphasizes the potential impact of such an initiative. “Even if it’s just one center with trained teachers and Braille equipment, it would restore dignity and opportunity to these children.”
Existing models in Freetown and other districts demonstrate that partnerships with NGOs can successfully run schools for children with disabilities. Advocates argue that Kambia deserves the same investment.
Blind adults in the district, such as Mariama Sesay, who lost her sight due to untreated glaucoma, have resorted to self-teaching and informal skills training to survive. She shares her frustration:
“I went blind because of poverty. And now I have to fight every day just to survive. If we had education, things would be different.”
Looking Ahead
As Sierra Leone works toward inclusive and equitable education by 2030, the calls from Kambia’s blind population highlight the urgent need for attention.
For now, young Alhassan Kamara continues to sit outside his home, dreaming of the day when a teacher with a Braille book arrives—to guide him on the learning path, right in Kambia.