Some of visually impaired persons who received Smart Walking Sticks from Turkish Red Crescent in Juba - Credit | Alakiir Chol/Eye Radio | June 06, 2022

More than fifty Juba-based visually impaired persons have received walking sticks to aid their movement in the city.

The sticks were a donation from the Turkish Embassy delivered through the African Indigenous Women Empowerment (AIWE) yesterday.

The organization works with vulnerable people including women and people with disabilities within Juba and other states.

Sencer Kagan Senol, the Third Secretary of the Turkish Embassy hopes the aid will ease mobility for the beneficiaries.

“These white canes symbolize freedom, it symbolizes easiness in life, it also symbolizes that the Turkish people are with you in every step you take in your life,” Kagan said.

“These 56 white canes, we hope they will ease your life and help you in everyday life. So, we are with you in every step you take and we would like to promote the South Sudanese community with whatever needs they have.”

Stella Peter, one of the beneficiaries of the Turkish donated white canes, appreciated Turkish for the donation.

“I am really happy because these people have managed to help us. You see when you aid someone with something that they can walk with then it’s very important because you help them,” said Stella.

“I am happy because this walking stick can help kids easily go to school and even women who cannot manage to go out or even fetch water or cannot go to the farm,

“With the help of the walking stick, she will be able to walk and help herself, for example.”

For his part, the Chairperson of the Union of Visually Impaired Persons, Robert Ladu appealed to the Turkish people to support the training of about 50 people on using the white canes.

“Visually persons, before training is full of fear, full of stress depression and a person, is dirty and cannot be able to access any basic service because there is no any training done for him or her,”

“Once a visually impaired person is trained, she or he can be able to accomplish his tasks”

“We are going to plan and also train like 50 members around Juba and we cannot be able to do this training without your support.”