Abeba Mihirete, a 24-year-old female student with visual impairment, is one of the beneficiaries of the hostel service provided by HPDO since 2017. She was born in a remote town called Dembidolo, located approximately 600 kilometers west of Addis Ababa in the Oromia Region. Oromia is the largest region in Ethiopia, where nearly 40 percent of the country’s population resides.
Abeba was born into an extremely poor family with eight children (five girls and three boys). Her parents earn their living through daily labor, and their income is barely sufficient to meet the family’s basic needs. Due to this severe economic hardship, most of her siblings were unable to attend school and were instead forced to engage in daily labor to support the family.
Amid these challenging circumstances, Abeba lost her sight at the age of eight due to retinal degeneration. Similar to many families in Ethiopia who have children with disabilities, her parents initially kept her at home, believing that she was helpless and incapable of contributing to society because of her visual impairment.
However, a significant turning point occurred when a team of volunteer missionary ophthalmologists from abroad visited Dembidolo to provide free eye examinations and treatment for economically disadvantaged community members. The medical team was accompanied by an Ethiopian woman with visual impairment who was engaged in community service through an indigenous non-governmental organization.
Through the facilitation of this team, Abeba received a medical diagnosis regarding the cause and condition of her visual impairment. The ophthalmologists confirmed that her condition was not curable and recommended that her parents enroll her in a special school for the blind so that she could access education and develop her potential.
Initially, her parents were reluctant to follow this recommendation because they lacked awareness about the abilities and potential of persons with visual impairment. Nevertheless, the woman with visual impairment who accompanied the medical team promised to assist the family by facilitating Abeba’s admission to one of the few special schools for the blind in Ethiopia.
Through her kind support and determination, Abeba was eventually able to enroll at Sebeta Special School for the Blind, located in Sebeta City Administration, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa, during the 2011/2012 academic year.
Abeba demonstrated remarkable commitment and diligence in her academic work. Due to her strong academic performance, she was granted double promotion, which allowed her to advance more quickly through her studies. As a result, by the 2019/2020 academic year, she had reached Grade 10, maintaining a high level of discipline and dedication.
According to the regulations of the school, however, students were required to leave the boarding program after completing Grade 6. Consequently, Abeba had to find alternative accommodation. Fortunately, she was able to secure residence in the hostel established by HPDO for female students with visual and other impairments, which provided her with a safe and supportive environment.
Abeba also shared a difficult personal experience from her earlier school life. While studying at Sebeta Special School for the Blind, she encountered sexual harassment from one of the school guards. Although she managed to escape from the attempted abuse, she was unable to report the incident to the school administration or legal authorities because the perpetrator threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident. This traumatic experience has deeply influenced her perception of safety.
For this reason, Abeba emphasized that living in the HPDO hostel has a very special and meaningful significance for her, as it provides security, dignity, and protection that she previously lacked.
Currently, Abeba expresses satisfaction with the support she receives from the hostel. Nevertheless, she and her peers still face several challenges, including the lack of transportation services to and from school, insufficient school uniforms, limited access to adaptive learning materials and assistive devices such as digital recorders, and inadequate access to personal hygiene supplies.
Despite these challenges, Abeba remains highly motivated and determined to pursue her dreams. She aspires to become either a lawyer or a journalist, with the goal of advocating for the fundamental rights of women with disabilities. She strongly believes that women with disabilities in Ethiopia often face multiple layers of discrimination due to their gender, disability, and economic disadvantage.
To achieve her ambition, Abeba understands that she must excel in her academic journey. Therefore, she sincerely hopes to find supportive foster parents or sponsors who can provide financial assistance to help her continue her education and realize her vision without unnecessary hardship.
