Foundation, Google Train Visually-impaired Students On AI, Android Tools

The Christ’s Outreach on Disabilities (CODISA) Foundation has partnered Google to train over 30 visually-impaired students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on effective use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Android devices.

CODISA Leader, Prince Olaoluwa Awojoodu said the training was informed by the need to assist visually- impaired individuals to be independent and improve their access to general services.

“This training is for the visually-impaired for the Android device. It’s about how do they use their devices effectively, that’s the focus of this training,” he said.

He underscored the commitment of the foundation to transforming lives, stating that it had impacted over 10,000 people that have special needs since it was established in 1984.

“So we deal with 40 homes as of today. We have 40 homes that we sponsor and we have been doing this for over 40 years,” he added.

Director Google West Africa Region, Olumide Balogun, expressed delight to be in partnership with CODISA to carry out the technology training to help the visually-impaired persons to have access to their phone, and access artificial intelligence in a way that can benefit their life and their purpose.

“We just thought it was a natural fit for us to come and spend time with our brothers and our sisters and really bring the power of technology to them. So we’re very excited to be here doing this training today,” he said.

Google Search Partnerships Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ugochi Agoreyo, who took the group through sessions on utilising their phones and AI effectively, explained that this would help them to navigate their phones through talking back to the phones, as opposed to using hand prompts and improve their everyday life with Android devices and AI.

“We’ve introduced them to some accessibility tools on their Android called Voice Access, Reading Mode, and TalkBack. This can help them to access their devices and control their devices.

“We’ve also introduced them to how AI can support them in learning and in navigating their environment. So for that, we introduced them to Gemini, Gemini 2.5 Flash, which has an audio ability for them to find information from anywhere around the world by just talking into the Gemini app,” he said.

“They can ask it to scan the room and tell them what it sees. It can help them read anything that the eye sees in the environment like signs so that they are safe and understand where they’ve gotten into,” she added.

A 300-level Political Science student at UNILAG, Olumide Oladimeji, praised the facilitators for bringing his age long dream to reality, adding the training has opened his eyes to important things.

“It’s a wonderful one. In fact, the thought of Google having to come here has been one of my lifelong dreams. I’ve really, really been hoping that I would be a consultant, an accessibility consultant, working with Google, having to bring about new features and accessibility,” he stated.