Life is as you make it!

He was born in 1984 in Adi-Kelen. At his early age he lost his eyes due to illness. The lose of his eyes did not deter him from pursuing his education and as such he took his elementary education at Abraha Bahta School for the Blind, middle school at Natsinet and Denden Schools, and high school at Mendefera San Giorgio School. He later went to Sawa for his grade 12 education and passed matriculation with a good result. He joined the Eritrean Institute of Technology and graduated in history. He is currently teaching at Adi-Keih High School. Haddas Eritrea had conducted an interview with Mebrahtu Nasir and the excerpts of the interview follows.

Could you tell us your back ground?

I was born in Adi-Kelen. I lost my eyes when I was one month old due to illness. At six years of age my parents took me to religious school and I learned there until 1994.

What about later?

1994 was the turning point of my life. With the effort of my uncle Teame I joined Abraha Bahta School of the Blind.

How was life at the school?

In the beginning it was very difficult. It was very difficult for me to adopt life of the city because I grew up in a remote village.

And about school activities?

During the initial period I felt I missed my parents. I used to spend most of my time crying and I had no time to study. I was very poor student at grade one. I started to concentrate on my education from grade 2 onwards. I took no time to adopt the living situation there.  And I was one of the competitive students. I finished my elementary education with good results.

What about your middle school education?

I joined Natsinet middle school. And regarding my living condition, I was provided along with other 19 students like me accommodation by the Government. Even though Competing with people with no disability is very hard, however, the challenge was for a short period of time. I easily adopted the situation and I started working hard and started becoming prize winner.

What kind of prize winner?

People with no disability have different choices to pursue. We, unlike the others, had nothing else to look at except concentrating on our education.

How was your school performance?

I stood first from my class from grade six to seventh.  Then I passed to high school with excellent result.

And in high school?

I took my high school education at Denden Secondary School. I was scoring good result. I was standing first from my class. After I finished grade eight we were transferred to another school. I along with other blind students were transferred to San Giorgio School in Mendefera. There we continued from grade nine.

How was life in Mendefera?

A new place is always difficult to easily adjust with. The awareness of the people on the blind was not that much positive. Education in Mendefera was good as that of Denden High School. I stood through out my high school education first from my class. Then after I finished grade 11 I went to Sawa.

What was your understanding about Sawa?

I had no information about Sawa. Many questions came to my mind on what will happen to me there, a new place that I was not aware of. But when I went there I got answer to all questions that were in my mind.

What do you mean by that?

In Sawa you meet different people from different back ground. There you understand what really life is all about. You find all patterns of life, tolerance, loving and supporting each other, in Sawa. Above all the treatment we used to get from our teachers and the staff was excellent. Sawa is a place in which blind national get the most treatment.

How was education in Sawa?

I stood first from my class, but my matriculation result was 3.2. I was not glad to score that. But I was able to join college.

Which college?

Eritrean Institute of Technology.

How was life in college?

It was good. Our society is humble. Our government is keen and always ready, as part of its policy, to provide assistance for the disabled. My choice of discipline was law. But I was forced to join my second choice, history, after I scored 3.4 on my first year for that GPA could not make eligible to join the Law Department. On top of blindness I encountered problem on my ears and I had to struggle double fold.And as a result I was average student through out my college education. The College of Arts ad Social Sciences was moved from Mai-Nefhi to Adi-Keih. And we had to go there. I finished my fourth year education there and graduated with degree on 30 July 2011.

What could you tell us from your school experience?

The one who works hard will ultimately become successful. It only asks initiative and will power. One should have objective and vision otherwise success would not come by its own. Life has its ups and downs and one should go through it always thinking forward and with the perception that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

What are you doing currently?

I am a teacher at Adi-Keih High School.

What hobbies do you have?

I like to become sports analyst. I am making training on that discipline.

Good Luck!

Thank you!