As part of efforts to support inclusive education and empower persons with disabilities, the Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Importers in Nigeria (IPMIN) has donated N6.4 million to sponsor two visually impaired students of Bethesda Home and School for the Blind to the Nigerian Law School, Abuja.
IPMIN announced the donation during a visit to the institution on Friday, 17 April. The visit was led by its President, who is also the managing director of Jawa International, Chief Varkey Verghese. He was accompanied by key members of the association, including the General Secretary, Mr Venket Subramanian, and the Treasurer, Mr Virendra Jain.
Addressing the students and management of the school, Verghese said the group was committed to supporting the aspirations of visually impaired persons and ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder their educational advancement.
The IPMIN president said, “We have come here to greet you and to inform you that, by God’s grace, we have been able to sponsor two students to the Law School in Abuja. We will continue to support you and do our best to keep this institution moving forward.”
He added that the total cost of sponsoring the two students stood at N6.4 million, with each student requiring N3.2 million to cover tuition and associated expenses at the Law School.
In a brief chat with Pharmanews, Verghese explained that members of IPMIN collectively contributed the funds to ensure the students could proceed with their professional legal training. He added that the beneficiaries had already secured admission and commenced their studies in Abuja.
Highlighting his long-standing relationship with the institution, the Jawa MD noted that he has supported the school consistently for over a decade through donations of food items, educational materials and advocacy, and will continue to do so.
He further commended the talents and resilience of the students, particularly their skills in crafts such as beadwork and handbag production, which he said deserve wider patronage.
In a separate interview with Pharmanews, the founder of Bethesda Home and School for the Blind, Rev. Dr Chioma Ohakwe, expressed profound gratitude to IPMIN for the gesture, describing the donation as a life-changing intervention for the beneficiaries.
She said, “I am so happy because I never expected such a great gift. This is a dream come true. These students have completed their law degrees, and now, through this support, they are in Law school. By this time next year, they will become barristers.”
Ohakwe noted that the gesture would have a lasting impact not only on the students but also on future generations, adding that it reinforces the importance of supporting persons with disabilities to achieve their full potential.
She also called on the public to show greater compassion and support for the less privileged, stressing that disability should not be a barrier to achieving one’s dreams.
“No one prays to have a disability. Those who are privileged should always remember to support others so that their dreams will not die,” she said.
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