By Emmanuel Ballah
A 16-year-old boy living with visual impairment in Bong County has made a public appeal for assistance, calling on humanitarian organizations and compassionate individuals to help him regain his sight and return to school.
The teenager, Henry Joe, shared his story during an interview with OKFM in Gbartala on Sunday. He explained that he was not born blind but lost his vision at the age of six following an incident in which his grandmother allegedly rubbed her hand across his face, after which he suddenly became unable to see.
Henry said he has lived in total darkness for nearly a decade. Despite his condition, he was enrolled at a school for visually impaired children in Bong County at the age of nine, where he studied for about four years.
His education, however, was interrupted when the school reportedly asked his parents to take him home due to the lack of a caregiver to assist him. Since then, Henry said his parents have been unable to meet his basic needs, forcing him to survive by begging on the streets.
Worried about his future, the young boy is now appealing to well-meaning Liberians, humanitarian groups, and government authorities for help. He believes that with timely medical and educational support, he could regain hope, access treatment for his condition, and resume his education.
