OFFICIAL REPORTS ON ADDITIONAL EVENTS BY RIFTB: REPORT ON EVENTS: OUTINGS THAT TOOK PLACE FROM 5 to 26 June 2021 A VISIT TO HIGHLAND RADIO STATION ON TUESDAY AND SATURDAY (5 and 8 of June 2021) Program: society for all. A program where issues of people with disabilities are discuss. Presenter: Joshua Yanle Date: Tuesday 8 June 2021 The program started with the introduction of the show. The topic for that day was; available organizations in Nigeria that assist persons with disability in Nigeria. The presenter introduce the guest of the show in person of barrister Sunny Ezurike (the founder redemption international for the blind, and African blind leadership forum). The president and founder of those two organizations was asked to introduce himself. In his introduction he stated that apart from every other thing about him he is also visually impaired. He answered the question why the initiative as such. “African blind leadership forum is a continental organization having its headquarters in Accra Ghana, it is an organization which advocate for the blind as they are the most marginalized persons leaving with disability, speaking out on human right and abuses, and violation against the blind and visually impaired. Redemption international for the blind on the other hand is an international organization existing in Portugal with its board of trustees and having a functional office in Nigeria, plateau state, Jos, behind Airforce base Shaka no f51. Its activities includes: audio recording of books, mobility training, teaching brail, converting textbooks and handouts into accessible format amongst many others”. The presenter asked about the success story of the organization. According to the president the association have achieve quite a lot. Despite the fact it’s still a young organization it was able to make impact on the lives of the blind students. In terms of advocacy, two persons where assisted to get their rights back and lead a normal live. The organization have started recording books in audio format and student can access them. Students can also bring their handouts for recording free of charge. Some blind students of university of Jos were presented typewriters, visits and rapport among many others. “There was a program you had in crest hotel on May 15 2021, can you tell us more about the program” asked the presenter. The program was a lunching and fund raiser, it was organized to raise money for the purchase of an automated brailing machining and establishment of an online library for the blind. People can assess the services of the organization through the physical office at F51 Shaka zone behind Airforce base Jos. Or through the website www.riftb.org. the challenges of the organization include funding and the president is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to key into his vision and make lives easy for people living with disability. The organization is partnering with lots of other sister organizations and is hoping to partner with the government to provide the services all over the country. The program ended with the presenter thanking the president and appealing to people and corporate organizations to assist in funding or donations of materials for the organization to serve properly. On Saturday Program: highland profile; discussing disability matters, with reference to persons with visual impairment. Presenter Ivey Ulu. Date: 5th June 2021 Guest: Barr. Sunny Ezurike (human right lawyer and founder redemption international for the blind) and Mr. Ayuba Isa Waziri (the executive director redemption international for the blind) Presenter asked, what is the general concept of persons with disabilities, what is the current state of persons with disability in Nigeria. Barr. Answered “ there is some kind of improvement base on the fact that there is a commission and an act that provides lots of rights to people living with disabilities”. On the part of the government, it has not been adequate as several challenges have not been addressed. The government is approaching disability issues from the medical view according to the president. Mr. Ayuba, in his reaction, stated that “what the disable need is assistance to improve and be well, and he urged well meaning citizens to show them love not sympathy as they always do.” The presenter asked what are those challenges that people with disabilities face? Barr. Answered “coming from the visually impaired view having been blind myself I will say book famine. Inaccessibility of published books which is hindering blind literacy. For those who cannot walk, lack of ramps or elevators to government and even corporate buildings, and other facilities and services that are open to the public. To Mr Ayuba, is there awareness on people living with disability? He responded that at some point there is but is not adequate enough to reach everyone to change their attitude towards persons with disability. A lot of people sees the disabled to be liabilities. The Barr. Added that the government need to do more on that aspect. The Barr. Lamented that the disable are not really united on their own, there have been rift amongst the persons living with disabilities in the country. The presenter ask the director redemption international for the blind about the initiative. The director spilled out the objectives, vision and mission of the initiative he went further to say that the organization have been in Jos since 2019 but due to the pandemic it could not function effectively in 2020. Calls came in amongst callers is radio Mama who was not happy with government making policies but don’t implement. She also asked Barr. How he coped during his school days. He responded that he relied only on handout, he record some of them if he find someone to help him, brail if he find someone to read. The program ended with the pair appealing to the government, religious leaders, corporate organizations to support the project. A VISIT TO THE BLIND COMMUNITY AT UNIVERSITY OF JOS PLATEAU STATE On Saturday 26-06-2021 we organized a pally with the blind students at village hostel university of Jos. It was a memorable event as both teams had a wonderful time full of high point which include; praises, questions and answers, information on life changing opportunities. The event was schedule for 12.00pm but started slightly late. The event started with an opening prayer by the students followed by the directors welcoming speech. The director welcome all student and appreciated them for honoring the invitation to be part of that event. He told them about the presence of the international president and founder of redemption international for the blind. The main purpose of the event is for the president to interact with the students and enlighten them on the opportunities redemption international can and will offer to them if the key into the vision of the organization. The president started his interaction by welcoming everyone. He asked everyone to be on his feet to worship God for his goodness in our lives. In his speech the president highlighted the vision, mission and what the organization represent in the lives of people living with blindness. He further present the opportunities redemption international offer to students and graduate respectively. There was an interactive session where students asked questions and where answered. Among such include; how can a blind student of university of Jos be a part of redemption international for the blind? if a graduate is to benefit and stays far from the area, what are the provisions for accommodation?. In response, the president said a student must be registered and be a card bearing member he also mention that member stand to get the benefits from the organization mostly. On the second question the president said when the program commence arrangements will be made for that. The president also made a promise in regards to an issue raised. He promised two sighted disable participant to take care of the problems if it’s within the workings of the organization. The consultant and adviser to the organization in the person Dr. maiwada. Encourage and gingered the students to continue to strive hard and never relent on the passion to succeed. He sang a song for them, saying they will not go back to their pitfall, they will continue to move forward until they achieve their goal. The student where entertain with some snacks will both staff of redemption and student of university of Jos mingle and interacted as the event came to a conclusion by 4 24pm. A VISIT TO THE CHAIRMAN CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN) The meeting is between rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo and the team of redemption international for the blind led by the international president and founder of the organization, at the CAN secretariat Jos. The meeting commence by 11: 15 with the welcoming address by the CAN chairman. He welcomed the group and appreciated their present in his office. Next is the introduction of staff of redemption international for the blind by their president. Afterwards the president presented a speech in which he recognize the position of Christ in helping the needy. He further presented the goal of the organization, which is working towards an inclusive and an accessible world where no one is left behind. He profess that gone are the days when the blind child is relegated to the background, hidden away from the society by their parents, or used in the streets by their guardians as ATM machines. In response, the CAN chairman express his delight and amusement. He confess that never has he come across such presentation as the president presented using the brail. He explain “that they are a lot of people who can see but cannot read “though you are blind physically but you can see with the heart”. It is a good cause the organization is fighting for and he prayed to God to assist in our vision. The chairman promise to visit and also take our proposal to the executive council. He said “if there is anything you want CAN to do for you, just let me know and I will do my best”. The meeting ended with appreciation by the president and closing prayer by the CAN chairman.