BEING a teacher has always been the dream for Nur Aida Aqilah Kasim.
To fulfil her dream, the Penangite took up a Diploma in Usuluddin from Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah in Kuala Kangsar.
Upon graduating in 2021, Nur Aida Aqilah, then 21, had a blurry vision and went to a hospital for an eye checkup.
“After the checkup, the specialist told me that the pressure on my left eye was too high, and it damaged the optic nerve of my left eye.
“I was diagnosed with glaucoma. My left eye went blind without much warning, and later, my right eye also went blind.
“At first, it was so hard to accept being blind. I struggled, and eventually, I accepted that God had given me this chance to go on with life.
“I am still young and there are so many things that I could do,” Nur Aida Aqilah, now 23, said. She added that since she lost her vision, she ambitioned to be a teacher for special children.
Nur Aida Aqilah said: “Now, I feel that I want to help special children instead of just being a teacher.”
It is learnt that Nur Aida Aqilah’s father was also diagnosed with glaucoma.
She is among the many visually impaired and blind individuals who are currently undergoing a six-month information technology (IT) course at the newly upgraded IT lab at St Nicholas Home (SNH).
An RM300,000 grant was made by the Flex Foundation enabled SNH to fully refurbish its IT lab and equip it with computers. The lab received new flooring, ceiling, air conditioners, tables, chairs, and computers equipped with software designed for individuals who are blind and visually impaired (BVI). The company also sponsored printers, wireless internet access points and server, among others.
The lab is set to benefit over 50 BVI students annually.
Flex information technology vice-president Datuk S.N. Lee said the company recognised the importance and strength of diversity and inclusion.
“One of Flex’s 2030 sustainability strategy pillars is community. We focus on improving the quality of life and the well-being of the communities we serve.
“The IT lab at SNH will play a crucial role in promoting inclusivity and bridging the digital divide among people with disabilities,” he said in his speech before opening the IT lab at SNH today.
Lee said Flex is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and respect within the workforce and the communities in which it operates.
“Since 2018, Flex has been actively employing people with disabilities (PwDs). For its efforts, Flex has been named by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) as a ‘PwD Caring Employer’ and the ‘Largest Employer of PwDs 2022’.
“We have also been recognised as a ‘PwD Friendly Employer’ by the Ministry of Human Resources for employing over 700 PwD staff to date,” he said.
SNH general manager Carmen Chew expressed her gratitude to Flex Foundation for investing in the future of the disabled community.
“Thank you for making this IT lab a reality. The lab was unusable for a few years before the refurbishment.
“The ceiling was leaking, and the floors were flooded. Now, the IT lab has been equipped with the necessary tools to train, develop, and empower the BVI community,” she said.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis