There are always two sides of every story, two sides on all coins but a whole variety of people. In every society each person is different in their own special way and have their own special story to tell.

One of the most outstanding group of people living in our communities are the people who are living with disabilities.

Even though the society may have their own point of view and their own stories to tell about their society members, it is the story of those people who make it worth the read.

Living with a disability may come with a lot of down sides but at times with its perks also which makes a huge impact on the individual as well as his or her society.

32 year Noah Kunz from Ialibu District in the Southern Highlands provinceis a visually impaired individual who is currently doing his Honours in Education at the University of Goroka (UOG).

Being the sixth born in a family of 9, he has been acknowledged as one of the first of very few visually impaired peoplein Papua New Guinea to have received a Bachelor in Education Degree (BA Ed.) from UOG in 2019.

Noah’s story is an inspiration to everyone because it takes guts and courage for someone of his stage to take on the challenges that lay ahead of him when his lost his sight.

Losing his sight in the 10^th grade was a huge blow for Noah especially after he already knew how it felt like to see.

The turning point in his life came when he surrendered himself to the Lord and was filled with a new found energy to pursue his studies.

He then went on to complete his upper secondary grades via Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) in Mendi and succeeded in his application to do his Diploma in Education at UOG in 2012 after receiving a Certificate in Computing in Mendi Vocational the previous year.

With the Melanesian Institute upholding social inclusion and the representation and involvement of vulnerable and marginalized sectors Noah was engaged as an encoder for the UN Women Gender Youth and Promotion Initiative (GYPI) project which is implemented by the Melanesian Institute the in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces.

He worked with the Southern Highlands Provincial Education under the Special and Inclusive Education Department with Callan Services after completing his Diploma and continues to work today whist in school specializing in identifying and helping students who are mentally impaired.

“There are certain students who teachers identify as slow learners or something alike however it is their mind that is not concentrating on the teachings being given thus making them mentally impaired.”

Amanda Kundil

Melanesian Institute