{"id":9475,"date":"2015-09-17T11:35:10","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T11:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/?p=9475"},"modified":"2015-09-17T13:48:14","modified_gmt":"2015-09-17T13:48:14","slug":"blind-girl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/blind-girl","title":{"rendered":"After He Met A Blind Girl In Kenya, He Promised Himself To Send Her To School"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"a6b39195b99473d6c9dd698db2668010\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:2px 0 2px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<center>\r\n\r\n<script type='text\/javascript'>\r\nfunction ShorterThan(widthMax) {\r\n                if (screen.width < widthMax) {return true;}  \r\n                else {return false}\r\n    }\r\nvar LimitWidth = 728\r\nvar MobileZoneID = 348996\r\nvar DesktopZoneID = 348995   \r\n<!--\/\/<![CDATA[\r\n   document.MAX_ct0 ='';\r\n   var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'?'https:\/\/cas.criteo.com\/delivery\/ajs.php?':'https:\/\/cas.criteo.com\/delivery\/ajs.php?');\r\n   var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999);\r\n   document.write (\"<scr\"+\"ipt type='text\/javascript' src='\"+m3_u);\r\n   if (ShorterThan(LimitWidth)) {document.write (\"zoneid=\"+MobileZoneID);} else {document.write (\"zoneid=\"+DesktopZoneID);}\r\n   document.write(\"&nodis=1\");\r\n   document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r);\r\n   if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write (\"&exclude=\" + document.MAX_used);\r\n   document.write (document.charset ? '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? '&charset='+document.characterSet : ''));\r\n   document.write (\"&loc=\" + escape(window.location));\r\n   if (document.referrer) document.write (\"&referer=\" + escape(document.referrer));\r\n   if (document.context) document.write (\"&context=\" + escape(document.context));\r\n   if ((typeof(document.MAX_ct0) != 'undefined') && (document.MAX_ct0.substring(0,4) == 'http')) {\r\n       document.write (\"&ct0=\" + escape(document.MAX_ct0));\r\n   }\r\n   if (document.mmm_fo) document.write (\"&mmm_fo=1\");\r\n   document.write (\"'><\/scr\"+\"ipt>\");\r\n\/\/]]>--><\/script>\r\n<\/center>\n<\/div>\n<p>Seppo Piisola is thinking about Kenya again. Driving through the quiet roads of rural Finland in his 1952 Volkswagen Beetle, the 59-year-old dreams of his adopted homeland. Six thousand miles away, in rural Kenya, 29-year-old Jennifer Mwetarin folds her white stick, maneuvers onto the back of a friend\u2019s motorbike and begins her daily commute to college.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A long-time friendship<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Their worlds could not be more different, yet Seppo and Jennifer have, for more than 15 years, maintained a friendship that has changed both their lives. Seppo first met Jennifer when she was four years old. He and his wife were working as missionaries in a Maasai region of Kenya. They knew that being born blind and disabled, Jennifer would face adversities in life.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9485\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-15-at-2.32.16-PM.jpg\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 2.32.16 PM\" width=\"700\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-15-at-2.32.16-PM.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-15-at-2.32.16-PM-600x278.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-15-at-2.32.16-PM-85x39.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">{adinserter CNP5}<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>\u201cA\u00a0friend\u00a0in\u00a0need\u00a0is\u00a0a friend\u00a0indeed\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>The Piisolas\u2019 felt an immediate connection with Jennifer and decided to help her with her upbringing. And they sure did help. Seppo built the first school that Jennifer attended along with other children in the area. When the couple returned to Finland after 11 years in Kenya, they continued to send money to Jennifer \u2013 although they had to rely on slow, expensive banking services.<\/p>\n<p>Time passed and technology evolved, allowing Seppo to message and speak to Jennifer on a regular basis. Her Android smartphone with its text-to-speech feature lets her hear what she cannot see. But one problem remained &#8211; getting money to Jennifer meant sending her on regular excursions to remote pick-up locations with a potentially dangerous journey home carrying cash.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9477\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/2.jpg\" alt=\"2\" width=\"700\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/2.jpg 415w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/2-85x42.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>A life-changing discovery<\/h2>\n<p>It was on Facebook that Seppo spotted an advert for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldremit.com\/en?gclid=CJaXkf_Q-ccCFdQYHwoda9cBkA&amp;ef_id=Vedx6QAAAV4Iaif@:20150915180758:s\" target=\"_blank\">WorldRemit<\/a>, an online service that would allow him to send international money transfers to MPESA, Kenya\u2019s popular Mobile Wallet. Financial support now arrives instantly on Jennifer\u2019s phone. She can use the money immediately at the many retailers that accept electronic payments via MPESA. And for those occasions when Jennifer needs to cash-out funds, there is the massive network of neighbourhood agents \u2013 kiosks, shops, supermarkets, garages and even butchers servicing MPESA users.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/3.jpg\" alt=\"3\" width=\"700\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/3.jpg 415w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/3-85x42.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Fulfilling needs, rather than just sending money<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>There has been another powerful effect of switching to an instant, low-cost money transfer service. Rather than sending a monthly lump sum, Seppo is now able to pay for specific needs when they arise \u2013 a surprise household bill, a trip to the supermarket, or dinner for Jennifer and a friend.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9479\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/4.jpg\" alt=\"4\" width=\"700\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/4.jpg 415w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/4-85x42.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Those special moments and the conversations around them mean Seppo and Jennifer remain a vital part of each other\u2019s lives. Today, Jennifer excels at her studies and is living as independently as any other young people in her community. And for Seppo, so far from Jennifer his beloved Kenya, that treasured connection remains as strong as ever.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/5.jpg\" alt=\"5\" width=\"700\" height=\"354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/5.jpg 415w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/09\/5-85x43.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Watch the video below<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"WorldRemit Stories | Seppo and Jennifer&#039;s Story (Finland to Kenya)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iEdmhpjjM80?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<!--CusAds0-->\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seppo Piisola is thinking about Kenya again. Driving through the quiet roads of rural Finland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":9486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>After He Met A Blind Girl In Kenya, He Promised Himself To Send Her To School<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"He felt an immediate connection with her.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/blind-girl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After He Met A Blind Girl In Kenya, He Promised Himself To Send Her To School\" \/>\n<meta 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