Sadam Ahmed was dealt a tough hand from day one. Born into a refugee camp in Somalia, his life was scarred by the violence and persecution that came with civil war. He was barely three when an illness robbed him of his sight.
Given such circumstances, many would have called it quits. But not Sadam.
“I had two choices, either to go into the darkness or fight it,” said Sadam. “It was difficult, but I will always remember my mother’s words to me: if I aim for the sky, I might reach the moon.”
His family’s situation took a turn for the better when Australia accepted them as Somali refugees, and they soon settled down in Melbourne. For Sadam, formal education was a challenge since he couldn’t do a lot of what other sighted children could. But he didn’t let any obstacles deter his drive. With his trusty Perkins Brailler typewriter in hand and the unwavering support of his family and friends, he went on to complete elementary and high school education.
Today, Sadam is 24 years old and currently pursuing a degree in International Business at RMIT University, with ambitions to secure an MBA. His old and heavy braille typewriter has now been replaced by a highly modern and portable assistive technology that connects him to the Internet and allows for intelligent text-to-speech and braille output.
According to Arthur C. Clarke, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic—a quote that Sadam prominently features on his blog. The magic for him is gaining equal access to the digital world, which he shares with his family and friends.
Having a speech overlay or screen reader enables Sadam to be a full-fledged participant in the digital world. With Cortana, he can get real-time notification anytime he receives an email. Humanware’s Braillenote Touch lets him write notes during lectures, which he wirelessly transfers to his Surface Book. He then uses Windows 10 to convert them into a file format that allows JAWS (Job Access with Speech) to read the text to him. And like every other student, he can easily print or email his assignments to tutors.
“Windows 10 is my eyes. It opens the gateway to connectivity and puts the world at my fingertips,” explained Sadam. “Thanks to Microsoft assistive technology, I was able to complete my diploma and further my education journey at RMIT University.”
As a committed volunteer of leading national provider of blindness and low vision services Vision Australia, he helps other blind people explore different existing technology options and how these enable them to become digital citizens. More importantly, he is constantly promoting the ways technology can help break down the barriers between blind and sighted people—particularly within Australia’s Somali community. While this calls for more understanding and empathy, he believes that technology serves as the bridge that brings both sides together.
“Microsoft technologies such as Microsoft Surface, Windows 10, and Cortana has changed my life tremendously, and I know it has the ability to change others’ too,” said Sadam. “Not only are they accessible to both the blind and the sighted, they also deliver on their promise of empowering users to stay productive and do great things.”
“I can’t put a price on how much it has helped me in my life.”