By Saidu Kargbo
Freetown, 28th July, 2026 – Africell Impact Foundation, in partnership with Milton Margai School for the Blind, has officially launched the Africell Telemarketing Centre to empower people living with disabilities, with the theme: “Inclusion Begins with Opportunity,” reaffirming Africell Telecommunications’ commitment to inclusive empowerment through meaningful opportunities for persons living with disabilities.
Speaking at the launch on 28th July held at the school’s ground, Wilkinson Road, Freetown, Afrimoney CEO, Martison Obeng-Agyei, emphasized the importance of providing meaningful and sustainable opportunities for individuals with disabilities, particularly visually impaired persons. “What the task has to do was to ensure we are providing opportunity, but not just being a charitable organization that we come and give something and go away…. The conversations around inclusion begin with opportunity,” he declared, noting that such action didn’t stem from assumptions, but purpose-driven thinking, an ethos of an institution he linked with the Africell Impact Foundation, delivering on the social promise and purpose of Africell.
What separates visually impaired persons from the rest of the world is their sight, not their vision, as they have the potential to be meaningful members of society, Obeng-Agyei stated. “There’s nothing worse than a man with sight, but without vision. These children and students have clearly demonstrated that they have what it takes if given the right and equal opportunity. They have what it takes to be meaningful members of society,” he emphasized.
Calling for the provision of equal opportunities for students with disabilities, he stated that opportunities should be given freely and willingly. He also said that there are plans to provide for qualified individuals with disabilities to earn a decent living and support their families. He expressed a powerful statement from a visually impaired student: “We cannot see, but we will conquer,” emphasizing the resilience and determination of visually impaired students.
Speaking during the event on behalf of the Minister of Social Welfare, the Director of Social Welfare, John Conteh, emphasized the importance of employment in providing dignity, independence, and the opportunity to contribute to society.
“Through your commitments, you have empowered them with knowledge, confidence, and skill to compete in the labour market and contribute meaningfully to nation-building. We all know employment is more than caring for the living; it’s about dignity, independence, confidence, and the opportunity to contribute to society by opening its doors to these talented people of this school,” he stated. He called upon other private sector institutions, employers and development partners to emulate Africell’s example in promoting disability inclusion.
The Principal of Milton Margai School for the Blind, Salieu Turay, expressed gratitude to Africell for their significant investment in the school, describing the establishment of the Telemarketing Centre as more than just a building or job creation, stating that it symbolized the belief in the abilities of persons with disabilities. “It is a powerful statement that disability is not inability. This demonstrates confidence in the talents, intelligence, resilience and potential of our graduates and students,” he revealed.
He notes that 24 persons with disabilities now have the chance to earn a living with dignity and support their families. “We are especially delighted that this initiative has provided employment for 24 persons with disabilities,” he said, while calling for recognition that where opportunities are created, persons with disabilities can excel in every sphere of life.
The initiative underscores Africell’s continued impact in community development projects and its commitment to ensuring that inclusion begins not only with words but with real action and opportunities that transform lives.
