Afeefa Amatullah Ali, a visually impaired high-achieving student and aspiring social worker, is receiving a boost in her studies and career after First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali provided her with a laptop and iPhone. The devices will support Afeefa’s studies and her work at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation in Berbice.
Under the Office of the First Lady’s InclusAbility initiative, Afeefa received a laptop and iPhone 17, to support her studies and professional development.  The First Lady handed over the items to Afeefa on Tuesday. Afeefa is currently pursuing a degree in Social Work while also working at the Centre for Empathy, Equity and Innovation in Berbice. Afeefa was a top performing student both at the National Grade Six Assessment and at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations. She secured seven Grade One and three Grade Two passes. Given her dedication and commitment to achieving success, she was offered a role at the Centre.
“We are so proud of you…however you decide to go forward, whatever next step you plan to take, we are backing you one hundred percent,” the First Lady told Afeefa, while assuring her that her school, Skeldon Line Path Secondary, her family and the country are proud of her achievements.
For Afeefa, the support comes at an important point in her educational journey. She has consistently demonstrated that her visual impairment does not prevent her from achieving academically. The technology presented by the Office of the First Lady is expected to build on that support by giving Afeefa greater independence in both her academic and professional pursuits. She is currently training to be part of the administration department at the Centre. She is also pursuing a degree in social work.
The laptop is equipped with accessibility tools, including Braille software and text to speech, designed with accessibility for blind and visually impaired users. The iPhone 17 will similarly allow her to make greater use of speech-based functions, reducing the need for conventional typing. The First Lady encouraged Afeefa to continue striving for excellence.
Afeefa’s achievements came after years of adapting to an education system that was not always designed with her needs in mind. The technology presented by the Office of the First Lady is expected to build on that support by giving Afeefa greater independence in both her academic and professional pursuits.
Source: https://newsroom.gy/2026/09/22/first-lady-helps-visually-impaired-studen...