SWBN, SC Johnson Empower Visually Impaired Students With Life-Changing Learning Tools

According to Ireporter Online, the Society for the Welfare of the Blind (SWBN), in partnership with SC Johnson, has provided educational and mobility support materials to visually impaired students as part of activities marking this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The presentation ceremony took place at SC Johnson’s corporate headquarters in Isolo, Lagos, where ten visually impaired students drawn from secondary and tertiary institutions across Nigeria were equipped with essential learning and mobility tools. The items distributed included a computer system, school bags, digital audio recorders, and guide canes, all aimed at improving academic performance and independence.

Speaking at the event, SWBN founder, Emiola Ladipo Tade, said the initiative was deeply personal, recalling that he lost his sight in 1990. He noted that his experience at the Blind Centre in Oshodi, where many students struggled with extreme poverty and lacked basic learning tools, inspired him to establish SWBN. Reflecting on the organisation’s 27-year journey, he acknowledged the critical role played by multinational companies in sustaining its programmes and expanding its impact.

Tade stressed that despite the intervention, many visually impaired students across the country still require similar assistance. He urged the beneficiaries to maximise the use of the materials provided and expressed gratitude to SC Johnson for its financial and moral support. He also called on other multinational firms to prioritise disability-focused initiatives as part of their corporate social responsibility, noting that such efforts create long-term social value.

Also speaking, SWBN member Maria Kazeem disclosed that the beneficiaries were selected from ten different institutions nationwide. She explained that the selection process was rigorous, involving background checks and academic assessments, adding that all selected students were found to be performing well academically.