By Dadson A Musa

In the city of Bo, southern Sierra Leone, I met Mr. Alieu, a blind weaver who has mastered his craft with remarkable skill. Although he was not born blind, a strange illness left him visually impaired. Today, Alieu is a dedicated teacher at Paul school for the Blind, where he has spent decades training other disabled pupils, unfortunately, despite the school being government-assisted, he has never been granted a pin code for his work.

I feed my wife and children mostly from the sales I make through my weaving because my salary is very small, he shared candidly, examining his finished pieces closely, I was amazed at the precision and neatness of his work. It was hard to believe that a blind man could so expertly blend colors and patterns with such accuracy.

His clients include respected members of society, such as Mr. Nallo, the principal of Ahmadiya Secondary School in Bo. I commissioned Alieu to make this outfit for a family wedding, and I am very pleased with his work, Mr. Nallo said appreciatively, Alieu’s story is a powerful reminder that disability does not define ability  it is skill, determination, and passion that truly shape one’s success.

Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 19th, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)