Editorial: Naomi Is A Story Of Determination and Defying Odds

Fiji School for the Blind Dux award recipient Naomi Lewakita is an inspiration to us all because her story is one of defying all odds to excel.

The 13-year-old girl from Nayavuira Village in Nakorotubu, Ra, has a story worth telling a dozen times.

She wants to be a school teacher.

A story that her mother, Neini Nasalato, also shared with the Fiji Sun was how she rejected Naomi at birth after finding out that her daughter was visually impaired.

“At first I did not accept her and rejected her, but as I spent time with her everything changed. She changed my perspective of how I look at people with disability,” she said.

Yesterday Ms Nasalato shed tears of joy after seeing her daughter take home the Dux award.

This is what Ms Nasalato had to share with the world.

There are many young mothers out there who go through the same confusion when they give birth to children with disability.

This is where we have to step in and give her the strength and understanding that she needs.

It is never easy for a mother to reject a child she has given birth to. But without the right support, this happens far too many times in our communities.

These young minds need to be nurtured.

They have a bright future ahead of them and we need to get them on the right path.

Children like Naomi can make a difference, moreso now when special scholarships have been set aside for them to make their dreams come true.

On that note, we have seen a number of young Fijians excelling at school.

The prizegiving ceremonies are a reminder that we have bright Fijians coming out of the school system, ready to make a difference.

They need to grow up in an enabling environment, an environment where race, religion, gender and disability does not matter. An environment where your merit determines your future and everything else is secondary.

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj