By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Lagos Mainland Legacy Lions Club recently carried out an eye surgery treatment for a pupil in Pacelli School of the Blind and Partially Sighted in Surulere, Lagos State.
The club’s Project Coordinator, Ochuko Ukrakpor, said that investing in eyesight is one of the club’s commitments to society and it would not relent in its efforts to helping the less-privileged with poor eyesight.
Speaking during the donation of N170, 000 to Joshua Adesumbo, a partially sighted pupil of Pacelli School of the Blind, Ukrakpor said: “Lions Club all over the world has five core projects; they are eyesight, diabetes, environment, food and cancer, and we are happy to be a part of this milestone.
“We are here to support and the young boy regains his sight. We are reaching out to him, because there is a need in the society, and when we came to the school on a need assessment exercise, we were told that he is a partially sighted pupil, his medical reports, reads, that with the help of a surgery, he would be able to see again, after he gain his sight.
“We will still visit the school in the near future and support them where necessary, as the need arises. The club decided to sponsor the treatment of the pupil who has an eye defect,” she said.
The principal of the school, Rev. Sister Jane Onyeneri, was elated and expressed her gratitude to the club for its kind gesture.
Onyeneri spoke passionately about the activities of the school, the challenges and the joy of giving ‘eyes’ to the blind.
She said it an initiative of the then Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Leo Hale Taylor, Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, was opened on June 16, 1962, following a permission granted on April 26 of same year by the Nigerian government for the establishment of a special school for the education of the visually impaired.
Onyeneri said school was named after the then serving Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli, the first administrators of the school include, Rev. Fr. Dempsey, a Dominican priest, who was the manager, with Rev. Sr. Mary de Chantel of the Irish Sisters of Charity, a Catholic religious congregation of women in Ireland, as the principal. The Rev. Sisters from Ireland remained the administrators until 1980, when the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus; an indigenous religious congregation replaced them. They have continued with the administration of the school till date.
“The maintenance and education of this category of persons has been the sole responsibility of the Catholic Mission, supported by kindhearted individuals, religious groups and corporate organisations in the society.
“The schools began with four students, but today, it has graduated many, who have since found their bearing in the society.
“Currently, there are 140 pupils, with staff strength of 38. There are five Rev. Sisters working with the team and the school is run solely through charity and admission is free.”
She explained that Pacelli runs a primary school system, though with a rehabilitation programme for secondary school students. But whether for primary or rehabilitation programme, there are strict procedures for admission.
According to her, for rehabilitation, the students are kept for one year to teach them brail reading and writing, orientation and mobility, daily living skills, typing, music and others. Once they mastered these skills, they are graduated under basic six free.
The chairperson at the event, Racheal Greenwood said most importantly, Lions give sight by conducting vision screenings, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing medicine, and raising awareness of eye disease with a mission of providing vision for all, humanitarian causes and core projects.
Greenwood noted that the club would focus on restoring visions of the visually impaired.
According to her, the core focus of the club was catering for the less privileged, adding that there would have been a higher number of less privileged people if not for service organisations like the Lions Club.