26-year-old Zainab Bayoh has risen against the odds to pursue her dream of studying medicine. Born deaf in Freetown, Bayoh faced numerous challenges from an early age in her community and viewed her disability as a barrier, but her determination and resilience set her apart.
Bayoh is a second year medical student at the Public Health Department, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology in Makeni City Bombali District.
Inspired by the stories of medical doctors and local healthcare workers who transformed lives in her community, Bayoh knew she wanted to become a doctor. However, pursuing her dream is not easy. Accessing higher education for deaf students in Sierra Leone is limited, and many medical schools in the country are not equipped to accommodate students with disabilities.
Accessing higher education for people with disability remains a challenge in Sierra Leone despite the introduction of the Disability Act of 2011.
The Disability Act of 2011 provides the right for every person with disability to access free education in tertiary institutions accredited by the Tertiary Education Commission and approved by the ministry responsible for education.
Section 16 (1) of the Act demands that educational institutions provide sign language and braille facilities for disabled students in their institutions.
However, full implementation of these policies remains a huge challenge in educational institutions in the country. There are no sign language interpreters in educational institutions across the country, and little or no effort has been made by the government to have people trained for such tasks.
Speaking to this medium in an exclusive interview, with the help of Fatu Kamara a sign language interpreter, Bayoh noted that it was not easy for her to reach that level of education with the numerous challenges including the lack of sign language interpreters in schools and in colleges across the country.
She said at the university, she continues to face sign language challenges and that she depends on her colleagues’ notes to understand the lectures and that many a time people send stones at her to call her to attend and she dislikes it.
Bayoh’s journey could serve as a beacon of hope of her kind, illustrating the power of perseverance and the impact of education on breaking down barriers and her story could be a source of inspiration not only to her peers but to all who meet her.
As she looks ahead to completing her university, Bayah expressed excitement to make a difference in the lives of others, proving that with determination, anything is possible and even changing the landscape of healthcare for those who feel voiceless.
“I devoted myself to reaching this level of education because I have seen many deaf and dumb girls on the street begging, prostituting and some given away into early marriage. In my case, I want to change those narratives by becoming useful in society. I want people to know that disability is inability,” she said.
She called on women living with disability not to give up in chasing their dreams and most value education, noting that even if they did not make it to college level, they should ensure they have skill or vocational training.
Bayoh’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of education, highlighting that when someone is determined, disability will not be a barrier.
Head of Department at the Public Health Department, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Hassan Rogers described Zainab Bayoh as a hardworking and promising young lady who has been consistent with her academic progress.
He told this medium that when Bayoh was admitted into the faculty in the 2022/23 academic year, the university visited her high school to learn on how she had coped through school and some of the facilities required to make learning enabling for her and in the past academic years, they had been guided by the orientation they got from her high school.
“Also, Zainab seems to be that sociable person, so her colleagues have been supporting her in studies. We are working to see how we can develop a curriculum for people living with disabilities and train people who will be able to handle them,” he said.
He disclosed that they have about six (6) hearing impaired students in his department and that they are doing everything to ensure that they have an enabling environment and provide them with lecture notes.
Mayealie Habib Christiana Kamara, a friend and course mate of Zainab Bayoh, described Zainab as a very good, brilliant, determined student with a keen focus on her studies.
“She will always sit in the front row of the classroom, looking at the lecturer’s mouth movement. If she doesn’t understand, she will always ask for help, and I will explain everything to her.
Sometimes, I will write everything down for her, and she will read and understand,” she said
She said that because of her hearing impaired disability lecturers try to pay more attention to her during lectures.
