Maryam Umar, a determined and resilient student of Gombe State University (GSU) and resident of BCGA quarters in Gombe State capital has defied the odds to achieve academic success despite being born without hands.
The 300-level Economics student’s inspiring story has been made possible by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) national leadership, which awarded her a scholarship to pursue her studies.
During a visit by the national president of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, to her family’s house in BCGA, Maryam expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the union for believing in her potential and providing her with the opportunity to study at the university.
She revealed that before the scholarship, she was forced to beg on the streets to survive, but ASUU’s intervention has transformed her life.
Her guardian, Abdon Ali Balanga, said Maryam’s remarkable adaptability—she has learned to write and operate a computer with her legs—showcases her unwavering dedication to her education.
He expressed profound appreciation to ASUU for their ‘kindness’ and promised to continue encouraging Maryam’s educational pursuits.
The university chapter chairman of the association, Suleiman Jauro, who accompanied the national president during the visit also confirmed that she has never carried over in any course in the past three years in spite of her physical deformity.
Earlier, the ASUU national president highlighted that the scholarship was part of the union’s social responsibility initiative, aimed at promoting education and supporting people with disabilities.
He appealed to the government to make university environments more accessible and friendly for students with special needs like Maryam.
LEADERSHIP learned that the union’s support extends beyond the scholarship, as they also provide Maryam with a monthly stipend of N250,000, an increase from the previous N150,000 to cater for her transportation to and from the university and other school needs.
