Two months after graduating from Gulu University in 2016, two iron bar hitmen turned Francis Odong’s life upside down.

As he sought his dream job in a bank or research firm with his bachelor’s degree in Quantitative Economics, Francis joined the boda boda business to make ends meet. On the fateful night, two robbers disguised as clients beckoned him to transport them to a place outside of Gulu town.

After about 2 kilometers into their journey, the ‘clients’ asked Francis to stop and hit his head with a blunt object severally, till he lost consciousness. His motorcycle, which was their target, is yet to be found.

In December 2015, iron bar hitmen ravaged Gulu Town, (which is fast recovering from the brunt of two decades of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war so much that in just one week, they assaulted at least 17 people. The attacks persisted until 2017, resulting in the killing of a municipality leader, the injuring of a Gulu High Court official; forcing the then Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kale Kayihura to intervene.

Many died in such attacks.

Survivors nursed grave injuries for months.

For Francis, spending a month in hospital was depressing, but not more than being told by doctors that he wouldn’t be able to see again.

What followed this revelation were, thoughts, unanswered questions, and wrestling with what became of his life.

He misses being independent.

“It’s now two years and nine months after that tragedy, but my sight hasn’t improved,” Francis said.

But then Francis decided to take a step to change his career path. When he inquired from the offices of National Union of Disabled Persons, NUDIPU in Gulu, where he could get training in computer and Braille, he was referred to a blind teacher, Mr. Owiny, who teaches at the Blind Annex of Gulu High School, which receives enormous support from Oysters & Pearls-Uganda.

“After just one attempt, I landed on an opportunity to be trained in town by JAWS-Certified trainers. I couldn’t believe my luck,” Francis said.

So, last month, Francis joined the new trainees benefiting from the computer and Braille training by Oysters& Pearls-Uganda.

Six days a week, Francis comes for the computer training and gives it his all. His aim is to learn as much, and as fast as he can, and join Kyambogo University Uganda (an inclusive University) this August, for a post graduate diploma in Special Needs Education, and become a teacher for the blind.

With his skills in JAWS and Braille, Francis hopes his job as a teacher for the blind will become easier.

Francis’ undergraduate education was paid for by Windle Trust, an NGO that supports scholarships for disabled students in Secondary School and University undergraduate programs.

“The only task I am left with is to convince my brothers to trust that I can still succeed as a blind person, so that they pay for my studies,” he said.

 

Note: Oysters & Pearls – Uganda recognizes the need to offer computer (Windows OS, MS Office Suite and internet browsing and email) and Braille training to members of the community to increase opportunities for education and employment. Many people in this position can barely afford the transport to our office so we offer this training by JAWS-Certified trainers at no charge to those who show commitment to learning.