SUNDAY NJOM, who resides in Emene, in Enugu State, Nigeria, hails from Akpugo in Nkanu LGA of Enugu State, Nigeria. He is blind and was trained in the Bead making and Wireworks Department of our Skills Acquisition Training and Vocational Centre .He now volunteers as a teacher in the beads and wireworks department .He is currently studying Braille literacy in the foundation as he wants to go back to school and continue his education from where he stopped when he became blind.The foundation will give him the needed support and encouragement to continue with his studies in the primary school despite being an adult in his late twenties.
As a little boy of four years, Sunday was throwing some pebbles at some rotten asbestos sheets, which rebounded and hit his left eye. His parents took him to hospital and he felt relieved of the pains. According to Sunday, at the age of 13, his elder brother flogged him with a leather belt which mistakenly injured his right eye. This ended in worsening his sight problem. He lamented, “I was taken to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, as well as the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (Parklane), Enugu for treatment, and finally I became blind. I have been idle in the house since then, not knowing what to do. But one of my friends, Mr. Ernest, told me about Bina Foundation where I came and registered in the Bead making and Wire works Department.
I am now a specialist in the production of necklaces for women. At the moment, I fend for myself from the money I make in the sale of bush necklaces, basket necklaces, twin necklaces that I produce at home. I also make bead slippers and bags, bead flower vase, bead trays, bead key holders, etc. I have achieved a lot from Bina Foundation skills acquisition training programs. In addition to feeding me during lunch time, Bina Foundation gives me N500.00 each day I came to school. They picked me from my house at Emene in their air-conditioned vehicles and dropped me at the same place at the close of training. Bina Foundation has restored in me the self-worth which was stolen away from me by blindness. I was hiding away from people because of blindness, but today I am known as a skillful bead making expert. I am grateful to Bina Foundation, and to Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu who established the organization.”