By Manas James Okony
Johnson Reec Mading, a 28-year-old visually impaired student, is filled with joy as he prepares for his upcoming Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) examinations after receiving financial support.
The financial handout he received has made a world of difference on his academic journey.
On Thursday, Reec was handed USD 150 by the civil society organization Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) during a ceremony at Bor Secondary School in the Jonglei State capital, Bor.
This generous support came just a week after No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper ran a story of Mr. Reec expressing his need for assistance.
Speaking to this outlet, Reec said he feels relieved.
“I am thankful for this merciful assistance. With this support, securing someone to help me during the exams is no longer a challenge,” he stated. “Also, I will have money to cover for other expenses during one week of exams.”
Pech Manyok Pech, the principal of Bor Secondary School, praised Reec for his determination and bravery.
“I taught Reec in his first year, and he is a brilliant student. We wholeheartedly support the assistance he is receiving. This USD 150 will help him during the 10 days of his exams, as he will require an aid to accompany him throughout.”
David Majok Jool, CEPO’s state coordinator, emphasized the importance of including persons with disabilities (PWDs) in society and expressed the organization’s commitment to ensuring they are not forgotten.
He called on all aid agencies to advocate for and support PWDs.
Lokuto Bismark, CEPO’s project officer, commended Reec for overcoming challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to helping individuals with disabilities.
“This is the first time CEPO is providing such support at the secondary education level. We are also assisting four students at Juba University,” he said.
“As CEPO, we champion the rights of the disabled, which has led to the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD). We are also developing a national action plan for this initiative and working towards the enactment of a disability bill,” he added.
The exams are scheduled to run nationwide from 2nd to 11th December.