Moroccan-born student in Spain makes university history despite severe visual impairment

“If my father had stayed there, my life would be very different,” Salma Lakhal tells El País. Her parents left Morocco to settle in Spain. Now 18, she is in her first year of social work at the University of Almería. She has four siblings and is the first in her family to enter higher education.

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In the report published this Sunday, November 15, about 24 young Spaniards born in 2008, Salma also talks about her relationship with the two countries. She says she is deeply attached to her Moroccan culture while embracing a Spanish mentality. The young woman says she has never personally experienced racism and looks to the future with confidence.

Her academic achievements have already earned her an award. On September 21, Salma was among four young people honored in Almería by the Qvision ophthalmology center, with the support of ONCE, Spain’s organization for people who are blind or visually impaired, and the provincial Diputación.

The young student has a severe visual impairment. At the scholarship presentation, María Jesús Segovia, director of ONCE in Almería, said the organization has supported Salma since she was two years old. She particularly praised her academic record and her entry into university.

The scholarship she received in September is intended to help her continue her social work studies. ONCE has also committed to continuing to provide her with the tools and support she needs throughout her university education.