Chris Mwirigi was born blind in one eye. For most of his life, he adapted to seeing with the other eye until the age of 17, when he developed scarring on his remaining cornea. Doctors warned him that he would likely lose sight in that eye within a year. The uncertainty was devastating. Once a confident teenager with dreams of pursuing ICT, Chris suddenly found himself battling fear, grief, and the looming possibility of total blindness. In those difficult months, he turned to his local church for counselling, hoping to make peace with what felt like the end of his ambitions. 

He was referred to Machakos School for the Blind to begin learning Braille. Six months later, Chris transferred to St. Lucy High School for the Visually Impaired. It was there that he first encountered inABLE’s Assistive Labs Program, an experience that would reignite his sense of purpose. 

Since 2014, inABLE, with support from Google, has established assistive technology labs at both St. Lucy Primary and High Schools. These labs provide visually impaired students and teachers with access to digital tools and training. Each learner is equipped with a Chromebook loaded with screen reader software, enabling them to research, take notes, communicate via Gmail and Google Classroom, and participate fully in class. The program bridges the digital divide and opens the door to opportunities many had never imagined. 

Before inABLE’s intervention, learning was limited to Braille, which was essential, but often bulky and isolating. Chris had never used a computer before walking into the lab for the first time in 2016. “I was so excited. For the first time, I felt like my dream of working in ICT was valid,” he recalls. He eagerly learned how to use screen readers like NVDA and grew more independent with every session. With the skills he acquired, Chris went on to pursue a diploma in ICT at the college level. 

But his journey didn’t stop there. Moved by the impact of the program on his own life, Chris returned to inABLE’s lab, not as a student, but as a mentor and teacher and St Lucy High School. He now supports learners just like him, offering hands-on training and encouragement. “It makes me proud to see visually impaired children excelling in ICT,” he says. “This lab was my stepping stone, and now I want to be that for someone else.” 

The Computer Labs Program has transformed both individual lives and the learning culture at St. Lucy. Students feel included, confident, and equipped to pursue higher education, something many universities still struggle to support due to a lack of inclusive infrastructure. While challenges remain, such as limited internet connectivity and difficulty integrating learners with multiple disabilities, the broader community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents and teachers alike hope to see this model scaled to more schools and eventually to institutions of higher learning. 

Chris’s story is a reflection of inABLE’s mission to empower African youth with disabilities through inclusive technology. From a young man struggling with vision loss to a confident educator shaping the futures of others, Chris represents the kind of real, lasting change that innovation, access, and compassion can create. 

Written by Faith Rimas, Communications Assistant, inABLE