John Adoyi, PBA Journalism MenteeBlindness is not a rarity in Nigeria. A considerable number of the Nigerian population live with the disability. This disability, like many others, is not without its inherent limitations and challenges. These limitations can, however, be circumvented with appropriate technologies and conducive support systems.
Alas, the Nigerian environment is a far-cry from a conducive one. As a consequence, the pursuit of individual dreams, goals and ambitions is dire for many blind persons in Nigeria. Not only are they hampered by the unfavorable Nigerian environment, they are also encumbered by the financial entailment of living with blindness in the country. The lack of sight, coupled with the access constraints to resources and opportunities, leaves the Nigerian blind population at a great disadvantage in actively participating in the labour market and consequently attaining some level of economic independence.
Blind Nigerians can however find a ray of hope in the pervasive technology – the Internet to be precise. Over the years, the Internet has become increasingly more accommodative and inclusive. Many blind individuals across the globe have leveraged its nuances to realise their dreams and make ends meet. With access to a computer, a screen-reading software, and a stable Internet connection, people with blindness can as well enjoy the streams of opportunities the Internet has to offer.
Here are some of the opportunities:
Freelancing
The Internet is a beehive of activities and information dissemination. To meet up with the demands of this fast-paced world, freelancers are constantly sought after and contracted to perform various tasks in exchange for monetary gains. These tasks may range from writing an article for a blogging site to composing a masterpiece for an artiste. As long as one is proficient in typing and writing a piece, one may consider freelancing as viable alternative to generate income and making ends meet.
Craft Production and Sales
Hand-craft is one means an ordinary blind Nigerian seeks to generate some income. This effort, however, yields him or her little to no returns due to the relatively low interests in these crafts in the local market. And with no financial power to further publicize these crafts, his or her effort is more or less futile. But with social media platforms such as Meta platforms (Facebook and integral) and Twitter, an ordinary blind Nigerian can easily showcase his or her craftsmanship to a wider range of people, garner more interests in their crafts, and generate relatively high income as a result.
Content Creation
Content creation is another opportunity to leverage on. Bloggers, podcasters, skit-makers, to mention a few, are examples of content creators on the Internet. Content creation, unlike many other means of income generation on the Internet, does not guarantee instantaneous gratification. But the reward can be immeasurable if one puts in the time to grow a following and establish an online presence through consistent creation and publication of one’s content. The writing of poetry, stories and so many other contents can help grow an online base that can bring profit.
Software Development
The big elephant in the room is software development. This is because many blind individuals in Nigeria do not see this as a feasible career prospect. That notion could not be more wrong, as there are many blind software developers across the globe. Big tech companies – Google, Microsoft, Meta, and the likes – even have special programs to accommodate blind software developers in their workforce. Blind Nigerians can, in the same vein, venture into this field and make a living off it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, blind persons in Nigeria can aspire for a better and more fulfilling prospects as their sighted counterparts. While setbacks in one’s daily existence are inevitable, the fact that one is blind should not constitute one of them. As long as one is determined, persistent, and proficient in what one does, the Internet and affiliate technologies can only be a wellspring of opportunities and viable prospects for one.
John Adoyi is a PBA Journalism Mentee, a visually impaired student of Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria Nsukka
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