Dili, April 21, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Cecilia de Jesus Alves, a student with visual impairment, is currently studying at the Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), in the Faculty of Social Sciences (FCS) and the Department of Social Community Inclusion (ICS). Cecilia encourages both her fellow students with disabilities and those without, not to give up in the search for income and to learn together.
In an interview, Cecilia de Jesus Alves, who lives with visual impairment, shared her story. Despite her disability, Cecilia refuses to give up on learning alongside her peers, both with and without disabilities, at the university. She also doesn’t give up when it comes to seeking income through small business activities from home.
“I am a Social Community Inclusion student with a disability. I study at UNTL in Faculty of Social Sciences, in the ICS Department. Right now, I’ve finished my theoretical classes and am in the process of writing my scientific work or thesis,”said Cecilia de Jesus Alves.
She further explained that throughout her academic journey at the Faculty of Social Sciences, in the Department of Social Community Inclusion, as a student with visual impairment, she feels proud to have the opportunity to study alongside other students, both with and without disabilities, and to experience no discrimination from her peers or from other departments.
“During my time studying in this department, we’ve faced some challenges, especially for us students with visual, hearing, or physical impairments. For instance, there are no specific lecturers or secure spaces designed for us. However, despite this, the learning process has gone well because many lecturers and fellow students have shown great cooperation,” Cecilia told Média Democracia.
She also shared that, despite living with a disability, her willingness to learn and to engage in various small business activities such as selling goods to earn money for school transportation has never faded.
“I don’t let my disability hold me back from seeking income, because as a young female student, I strive to earn money for myself. If we don’t make an effort, who will give us money? We can’t always depend on our parents or family. That’s why I’m always involved in other activities, like selling goods, to cover my daily transport expenses during my studies,” she explained.
She emphasized that her small business activities have helped her a lot, especially in covering transportation costs, making copies of study materials, and fulfilling her daily needs. Since her parents live in the municipality, it would be tough to depend entirely on them. Therefore, as a young person with a disability, she remains determined and hardworking in seeking income to support herself.
Cecilia, a young woman living with visual impairment, shared her message encouraging both disabled and non-disabled youth to work hard, seek income, and study together in any field, so they can become mature individuals who are independent from their families. She believes that the future is in one’s own hands and decisions about it should not be made by others but by oneself.
Reported by: Domingas
Photo by: Domingas