- Henry Joe is 16 and disabled, not crippled but visually impaired.
Joe lost his sight at age 6 and has since lived in the physical darkness experienced by all visually impaired people around the world. But his disability is not what troubles him now; rather, not going to school remains the killer hunting down his life faster than one can imagine.
Henry Joe should be worrying about homework, friendships, and plans for the future. Instead, the visually impaired teenager spends his days navigating busy streets with outstretched hands, begging for food and small change. This daily reality reflects the harsh struggles many disabled young people continue to face across Liberia. The teenager has lived in darkness for a decade, most often sitting quietly in open corridors in Gbartala, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. Henry recounts the moment his life changed at age 6.
"I have been in complete darkness for about 10 years now," he said. Like many children with disabilities in rural Liberia, Henry's access to education was short-lived. At age 9, he was enrolled in a school for visually impaired children in Bong County, where he studied for about four years. But his education came to an abrupt end when the school reportedly asked his parents to take him home due to the lack of a caretaker to assist him. "The thing that made my people go for me was because there was no caretaker to care for us," Henry said.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Without schooling or structured support, his life quickly unraveled. His parents, he said, are unable to provide for his basic needs, leaving him to survive on the streets. "I want people to send me to school and give me food and clothes," he said softly.
Henry's story is not unique. Across Liberia, children and young people with disabilities often face a combination of poverty, stigma and weak social services. Specialized schools are few, resources are limited, and families struggling to meet daily needs are frequently left without assistance.
For many disabled youths, dropping out of school leads to social isolation, street begging and exposure to abuse. Advocates say the lack of caretakers, assistive devices and inclusive education policies continues to undermine the future of disabled children, especially in rural counties like Bong.
While Liberia has laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities, implementation remains a challenge. Now fearful of what lies ahead, Henry is appealing to humanitarian organizations, well-meaning individuals and government authorities for help, not only to survive, but to reclaim his dignity and future. "I want to be taken to the hospital so they can work on my eyes," he said, adding, "I want to see again."
For Henry, the hope of regaining his sight represents more than a medical intervention. It is a chance to return to school, escape the streets and prove that disability should not condemn a child to a life of suffering. As he waits, seated along the roadside in Gbartala, his plea stands as a stark reminder of the difficult times disabled young people endure, and of the urgent need for compassion, inclusion and action.
Henry's mother speaks
In a telephone interview with The Liberian Investigator on Monday, Rebecca Kermue, the mother of Henry disclosed that she is a single mother and lacks the means to educate her children, especially Henry who is a child with special needs.
Madam Kermue said she does not know the whereabouts of her husband and the situation has been on for many years, something which continues to burden her mind and hands.
"My husband left me with our son and he has not even come back to help me", she said.
She narrated that ten years ago she left her son in the care of her mother (Henry's grandmother) and traveled to her farm in Suakoko District in search of a livelihood. While on the farm, she received a distressing call from her mother, who informed her that the boy had suddenly lost his sight. "I didn't believe they abandoned us," she said. "I cry almost every day seeing my child in this condition, especially when I had hope that he could grow up healthy and help me."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Although there is no medical evidence indicating the cause of Henry's loss of sight, Kermue said the child has repeatedly accused his grandmother of being responsible for his blindness, an allegation the grandmother strongly denied. "He told me personally that my mother is the cause, but when I asked her, she denied it. We are praying that God will expose that person one day," she noted.
She explained that she has taken the boy to several eye clinics and other health facilities in Gbarnga, but medical professionals were unable to diagnose the cause of his condition or restore his vision. With no remedy yet from medical interventions, Kermue said she sought help from a native doctor, who also told her he is unable to ensure Henry regains his sight-a word that continues to pierce her heart even deeper.
