For di past two years, Fiyinoluwa Banjo don dey learn coding for AccessTech Innovation and Research Center wia dem dey train pipo wit visual impairment – wey no fit see – to gain di ability to work in a technology driven world.
Despite say di seventeen-year-old dey visually-impaired, she don master her coding skills wit different programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Python
She wan become software engineer one day, she just gain admission to study for Anglia Ruskin university for United Kingdom.
Fiyinoluwa journey into di world of programming
Fiyinoluwa start her journey as programmer for AccessTech innovations wia dem begin train am to develop applications wey dey accessible to oda pipo wey dey live wit disability. She say she begin dey understand coding afta she enroll with di free training offer to am and odas wey dey live wit disability
“I believe say dis knowledge wey I don acquire go help me to practise wetin I don learn and help more pipo wey dey live wit disability.
“In di last two years, I don engage in gaining knowledge in programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Python. I don gain di the ability to create data structures in python programming languages,” she tok
“I hope to gain various internships wey go help me gain more knowledge of Python programming and oda programming skills wey I fit use to become software engineer in di future.”
She explain say working without ability to see di graphical interface of her screen dey challenging for her whenever she dey code na why she dey rely on screen reading applications to guide am as she dey code on her laptop.
But despite her visual disability, Fiyinoluwa wan use coding betta di world around am.
“I don experience many challenges, one of which na di graphical interfaces of most software programming platforms, dem dey depend on being able to see di screen of your computer or your phone, wetin you dey use. So, I struggle wit platform like dis, becos I no fit see di screen,” she tok.
“So instead, I go need to find various ways to adapt to dis environment. Mostly I dey use screen readers, wey be audio software wey allow me to gain audio and sound based knowledge of wetin dey on my screen.”
“I believe, with di help of odas around me and wit di knowledge I don gain and continue to gain throughout my lifetime, I go find various ways to make place For myself within di society despite my visual disability.”
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‘We don train 300 blind pipo’ – Acesstech innovation founder, Opeoluwa Akinola
Opeoluwa Akinola wey be di co-founder of AccessTech Innovation and Research Center don train about 300 blind pipo on how dem fit use digital skills for dia business and offices.
Oga Akinola wey don dey live wit dis condition for di past fifty years tell BBC say e set up di center to dey teach oda blind pipo how dem fit use di computer and spread di knowledge so all of dem go sabi how to operate dia phones, access emails and work for offices.
“If we look am, e don reach about 300 pipo wey we don train and di number just dey grow every day,” e tok.
“Mesef, you know say I dey visually impaired, my eye too no dey see well well, I don live wit dis condition for ova 50 years. So as I dey go. I come see say, as computers, phone and all dis tin come, dem get opportunity well well for our pipo. So I go learn dat tin and as I know, na to spread am give oda pipo.
“If one pesin carry load, e no dey easy, but if all of us sabi, e go make tins easy. So na why I set up dis center so make pipo dey learn.”
Oga Akinola agree say dem get different equipment and software applications wey blind pipo dey use to help read wetin dey ontop dia screen while e encourage blind pipo make dem dey build software wey dey accessible for oda blind pipo
“You must also learn how to produce your own technology, like for here. We dey teach pipo how to do programming. So dat dem go fit produce dia own program and create am,” e tok.
Oga Akinola tok say technology na betta tin for pipo wey dey blind becos wen dem understand technology dem fit stand gidigba for society.
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