Binta’s Story: A Documentary

Binta’s Story: A Documentary

Musa Bah

Today, Saturday 18th May 2019, a documentary about the life of one Binta Badji-Werkman was screened at the Tulkuya Restaurant at Burusubi Turntable.
Binta is a girl who contracted meningitis while she was in Grade Three. Due to that, she lost her hearing and became deaf. She thus transferred to St. John’s School for the Deaf. There, she was assisted by the able teachers who encouraged her to work harder in her education.

Her hard work and intelligence made the administration push her from Grade Threw to Grade Five. When she sat to the GABECE, she earned herself a place at Nusrat Senior Secondary School.

At Nusrat again, she excelled and came out with seven credits out of the eight subjects she sat to, maths being the only subject she failed due to her handicap of hearing.

She couldn’t get a place at the University of the Gambia despite frantic efforts of her high school principal, Mr Karamo Bojang and her English Language teacher Mr Musa Bah.

However, they didn’t give up and kept looking for other opportunities. Ultimately, they got her admitted at the American International University of West Africa where she studied Human Resources Management. She graduated from there today, Saturday 18th May 2019. Her husband, a Dutch national, paid her fees and supported her throughout the journey.

Binta’s hard work and ever-present smile endeared her to many. Everyone calls her friend due to her kindness. Binta has become a staunch advocate for equal educational opportunities for the physically challenged in the Gambia.

The screening was graced by her husband, Peter Werkman and her family and friends. Her former teachers from St. John’s School for the Deaf, Nusrat Senior Secondary School and the American University also came to show solidarity.

It was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) and the National Youth Council. Mr Lamin Darboe, Executive Director of the NYC urged all and sundry to do more to include everyone in the policies.