Visually impaired Kenyans land AI scholarships

Nominated Senator Crystal Asige. [File, Standard]

Twenty-five visually impaired Kenyan students will join an online scholarship programme next term under a plan to empower persons with disabilities through business and artificial intelligence training.

The European Business University aims to unmask the “dis” in disability by opening pathways for persons with disabilities to access global opportunities through education, President James Mulli noted.

“We do have students who are visually impaired who have tried our programme, and this is something we’re quite excited about because we’re bringing in 25 students who are visually impaired into the programmes this coming term,” observed Mulli.

Based in Luxembourg, the university has 24,000 students enrolled, with the majority coming from Kenya. It has partnered with Nominated Senator Crystal Asige and the Kenya Association of the Deaf to roll out the scholarships.

Asige, who is visually impaired, explained that the initiative would open doors for visually impaired persons, deaf persons and other persons with disabilities to advance their skills.

“When I went to the UK, I found teachers who believed in my abilities and did not see my disability. It’s only then, when the world really opened up to me, and I could not have become a Member of Parliament, a Senator, a musician or anything that I’ve done up to this point,” Asige noted.

She observed that recognising the abilities of wheelchair users and deaf persons was vital in building a more inclusive society, adding that the programme would help create future leaders.

Abdi Abdile from the Kenya Association of the Deaf explained that the scholarships would help deaf persons in Kenya pursue their education dreams.

“This initiative is good and is aiming at making inclusive education for the deaf people and for every other person with disability,” Abdile said.

Representing the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Diaspora Affairs, Irene Karari observed that the programme would change lives for persons with disabilities in Kenya.

“We will soon hear the positive stories coming from the beneficiaries. We have seen the impact they have had in their own capacity within their own means. And so, we are happy that you have been able to support them as EBU,” Karari noted.

Monica Semedo, a member of the university’s board and a former Member of the European Parliament, explained she experienced visual impairment during her term due to a rare disease but was able to continue her work with the help of technology.

“So, I see. But I see only 40 per cent. So, it’s a challenge. But it’s feasible also, thanks to technology nowadays, many things are possible that wouldn’t have been 20 years ago. So, it’s important that people with disabilities have equal access to education,” Semedo observed.

Mulli added that the university has partnered with more than 150 organisations globally to expand opportunities for persons with disabilities, leveraging Luxembourg’s economic advantage to increase enrolment.

 “Our business model approach is to work with partners and to offer scholarships, we are in the country of Luxembourg, which has the highest GDP per capita in the world, and I pause for effect because we can take advantage, and we have taken incredible advantage of that. And this is where we have seen the numbers flourish in terms of enrolment and impact,” Mulli explained.