Development expert Temitayo Ayinla is leading a transformative movement to empower visually impaired Nigerians while advocating for structured rehabilitation centers across the country. As Executive Director of the Resource Center for the Blind (RCB) in Lagos, Ayinla emphasizes the critical shortage of facilities serving teenagers, adults, and elderly individuals who lose their sight.
Bridging the Gap in Visual Impairment Support
Ayinla, a development professional with over 20 years of international experience spanning the United Nations, UNESCO, and Africa Progress Panel, has identified a significant gap in Nigeria's support system for the visually impaired. Most existing facilities focus exclusively on children, leaving older individuals without pathways to regain independence after vision loss.
"We created RCB to fill that painful gap," Ayinla stated. Through personalized learning plans, students aged 12 to 75 learn at their own pace, acquiring crucial skills through digital literacy, Braille training, mobility skills, and vocational development.
Transformative Impact and Family Legacy
Ayinla's commitment to serving the visually impaired stems from childhood experiences accompanying her father, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Jubrila Ayinla, on visits to disability homes including Pacelli School for the Blind and Okobaba Destitute Home.
"These visits were not charity; they were life lessons," she recalled. "My parents taught us to serve those society overlooks." These early encounters with visually impaired children ignited her lifelong dedication to inclusion and dignity.
The Resource Center for the Blind runs year-round programs that have made substantial impact: over 1,000 people screened annually through free eye screenings, 1,000 glasses distributed, and numerous cataract referrals supported to prevent avoidable blindness among low-income families.
Call for Comprehensive Support System
Ayinla is calling for concerted action from multiple sectors to create meaningful change for Nigeria's visually impaired community. She urges the government to move from paper inclusion to practical implementation by funding rehabilitation centers and enforcing accessibility standards.
For the private sector, she recommends hiring visually impaired professionals, supporting assistive technology development, and sponsoring rehabilitation programs. She also encourages the global community to partner with credible Nigerian NGOs doing life-changing work.
Through the RCB Family Forum, over 1,000 parents and caregivers have been engaged, breaking stigma and strengthening support systems. The organization's vocational training programs have created employment opportunities, fostered entrepreneurship, and restored independence to countless individuals.
Despite these successes, Ayinla identifies long-term funding and multi-year partnerships as the biggest challenges facing sustainable impact. Her leadership philosophy rests on selfless service, integrity, compassion, and discipline, anchored by her faith and family support system.
"Disability must never determine destiny," Ayinla asserts. "With the right support, visually impaired persons can thrive and lead. Service is a calling, not a position."
