Her mien elicits sympathy. Her gait using knees to go round market paints her as a person of strong will. Her stature resembles a dog that hops to play with its owner. But her physique and other human characteristics show that she is lady ailed by physical condition.
This picture depicts a 23-year-old Gift Nicholas. A cripple, Gift hails from Nung Oku Uruan in Uruan local government area of Akwa Ibom State. Owing to her predicament, she saunters on her knees.
An eagle-eyed reporter of Straightnews stumbled on this physically challenged in Akpan Andem market in Uyo local government area. Unaided, she strode on her knees from one point of the market to another alone.
As she trod, traders and other passers-by showed her sympathy. She never begged nor solicited, but her frame attracted unusual sympathy as people gave her money.
Gift narrates to Straightnews
“Shortly after my birth, I had poliomyelitis that crippled me. However, I attended UBE Secondary School in Andoni in Rivers State and stopped at SSS2 in 2010.
“When my mother died some years ago, I returned home. I could not go to school despite the fact that there is free, compulsory education in the state, courtesy of Akwa Ibom government. I don’t have money to feed even to clothe myself.”
On her future plan, she says “I want to go back to secondary school even up to acquire university education. Alternatively, I can learn any skill acquisition or work to earn money to fend for myself.”
“I also want philanthropists to come to my help by assisting me to learn any trade or skill acquisition programme. Voluntary organisations, individuals or government that wants to help me could reach me through my GSM No. 09020258614,” Gift pleads.
See her photos: