Physically challenged Farida Bello is a Mass Communication student at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic Sokoto. Desirous of flaming her passion of becoming a broadcaster one day, Farida looks beyond her physical deformities and is pursuing a diploma certificate against all odds. Finance is a huge challenge, which she hopes the kind-spirited public would help her out with. Daily Trust Saturday reports.
When others see their disability as a meal ticket by going out to the streets to beg for alms, Farida Bello sees it as an opportunity to latch on to pursue her dream of becoming a media practitioner.
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She defied all odds to seek for a Diploma in Mass Communication at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, 22-year-old Farida said she only has her mother to depend on for support as she lost her father three years ago.
“My father did all he could to support my educational pursuit before his demise. He enrolled me in primary and secondary schools but we lost him when I was about to finish my secondary school. I thought that would be the end of my educational pursuit because my mother is not financially buoyant, likewise my siblings.
“But God in his infinite mercy sent somebody who paid my registration fees after I got admission to study mass communication at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic. But it is still not easy for me because at times there would be no money for transportation and even when there is, to get a commercial cyclist that would come to my house and pick me is always a problem.”
Most times, Farida said she would crawl to the main road which is some distance from their home before getting a bike to take her to school.
“I don’t have a wheel chair. I crawl to the main road which is far from our house before I can get a bike. It’s also difficult most times to get the one that will agree to take me because of my health condition. At times, I cry because of the discrimination; after all, it is not my fault that I’m physically challenged,” she said.
Farida told Daily Trust Saturday that she missed two examinations this semester because the person sponsoring her education could not pay her school fees.
“He said he did not have the money to pay my school fees, so, I stopped going to school, as a result of which I missed some of my examinations. However, one of our lecturers came to my aid. He solicited support with which he settled my school fees.”
The lecturer, Muhammad Sanusi Gorau, told our reporter that he came to know about her problem through their deputy examination officer.
“The person sponsoring her education, Malam Sanusi, participated in a radio programme titled ‘Kukana’ and solicited support for Farida because he could no longer shoulder her responsibility due to economic hardship.
“Our Deputy Examination Officer who listened to the programme met me and asked me to take her case to my brother, the immediate past Commissioner for Youth and Sport Development, which I did and he paid the school fees. This is why she returned and continued writing her exams,” he said
Gorau described Farida as shy and hard-working with a tremendous zeal to achieve her dream of becoming a journalist.
“But her predicament is taking a toll on her performance because even last session, she missed two exams due to lack of transport fare,” he said.
Gorou further solicited for more support for the girl because according to him, her problem was not only school fees and transportation. “They also need food and even their room needs total rehabilitation,” he said.
Farida said she resisted every temptation to beg, saying “I prefer to earn a living in a decent way.”
She, however, appealed to wealthy individuals to support her with capital to start satchet water business and a specialised motorcycle for people with disability which she said would ease her transportation problem.
On why she chose to study journalism, she said it was because media enlighten and educate people, adding that she wants to become a radio presenter after graduation.
Farida’s mother, Malama Hauwa’u, said Farida lost her legs when she was a year old.
“She was born healthy and even started walking before clocking one.
“Her problem started when she was struck by an ailment that paralysed her two legs,” she said.
On their financial difficulty, she said it was talking a toll on their daily life because there were many instances where Farida had to remain at home because of lack of transport fare.
“I am the one who provides her transport fare from my little business of selling veils. When I don’t have money, we sit together and pray for God’s intervention,” she said.
