Saratu Mohammed Hassan is a woman with albinism who is married with two children, a boy and a girl. She was born into a family of four children, and three out of the four are persons with albinism. She is from Wase local government of plateau state.
In a chat with correspondents, Bulus Bala Izang and Joshua Yenle which took place at Wase when the team was at the local government as part of our Connecting Our Voices To The World supported by Oxfam Voice, she talked about her family, her survival and discriminatory practices against her as persons with albinism.
Saratu Mohammed Hassan practicing soap making
TQM. Is your husband a person with disability?
He is not a person with any form of disability.
TQM. What line of work is your husband in?
My husband is a mai gadi (a private house security man).
TQM. Were you able to have formal education?
I was able to do only primary school.
TQM. What happened that you stopped at primary school?
Because my parents could not afford to pay for my education beyond primary school.
TQM. What about your children, are they schooling?
They are schooling.
TQM. Who is paying for their education?
Me and their father.
TQM. What work are you doing?
I have a table at home where l sell provision items. I am now learning how to make beads products, like bags, flower vase, beads mats, as well as things like, Izal and soap making.
TQM. Who is paying for the training you are doing?
We are not paying for the training, it is free. The National Association for the Blind, Wase branch, they have a Skill Acquisition Center, where they offer free training for all clusters of people with disabilities.
TQM. In your business, have you received any financial assistance from the government or any Individuals.
Only my mother have been assisting me with money to do business and to pay for
my children’s school fees.
TQM. Have you been discriminated against because of your disability?
Yes.
TQM. How do you respond is face of such discrimination?
I don’t do anything, l leave all my trouble in the hands of God.
TQM. The government have established institutions that help to protect the rights of people with disabilities, are you aware of such Institutions?
Yes, l am aware of them.
TQM. Do you have any appeal to Plateau State government, other organizations and the general public?
The government should help me with the payment of my children’s school fees, and also help me with money to increase my business, especially, when l finished my training in beads products and soaps making.
TQM. Thank you for your time.
Thank you sir.
