First Lady Margaret Kenyatta was impressed by Anthony Wambua from Machakos County who is Kenya's first blind computer programmer.
The First Lady was speaking at the virtual Inclusive Africa Conference 2020 that attracted over 1,000 participants from across Africa on Thursday, October 8.
She implored the conference participants to explore ways of supporting and encouraging ambitious youth like Wambua.
“Most affected by the pandemic have been vulnerable, blind and visually impaired persons who, due to their circumstances, have faced multiple forms of digital exclusion such as lack of computer assistive technology, inaccessible websites or online content,” Margaret noted.
She expressed concern that digital services and products that fully cater for the needs of persons with disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired, were still lacking in many areas.
“It is my hope that digital solutions and best practices will be adapted for easy access and affordability across Africa; and that more investment will be allocated towards education and digital training and employment of youth with disabilities,” she noted.
Wambua lost his sight at the age of 8 and stayed home for approximately six years after which his mother struggled to put him through primary school.
His mother passed away leaving him without money or support to join high school.
With the help of inAble, a nonprofit organisation with a mission to empower the blind and visually impaired through computer technology, he joined the Thika School for The Blind.
The developer learnt how to operate a computer and after finishing high school, he learnt how to code using technology donated by inAble.
To help blind people use the computer, the laptop is fitted with a screen reader.
There are also instructors who teach students how to use a screen-reader and be able to use the internet.
