Like most 19-year olds, Vision Australia client Maysa Abouzeid is a highly motivated and determined student who likes a challenge. When not studying, the ‘born attention seeker’ spends her free time perfecting her stand up comic routines.

Maysa is legally blind and doesn’t let anything get in the way of her working her way up on the comedy ladder. Since the age of 16 she has shown audiences that she is a ‘young kid on the block with talent’.

“When I was at school I had very low self esteem. It dawned on me that I should not be ashamed of my disability but embrace it. I always go on stage with my white cane. My stand up routines first started with a monologue about being blind and culturally diverse, it’s then really snowballed from there. One day I’ll have my own show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival!” said Maysa.

Maysa is a great advocate for anyone who is blind or has low vision. In the last three years, Maysa has performed at a number of exciting venues including a spot at the 4th annual Arab-American Comedy Festival in New York last year.

Next week, Maysa will go head to head with other emerging stand up comedians in the Raw Comedy heats at the Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. This annual competition presented by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and supported by Triple J aims to find Australia’s new comedy talent - www.rawcomedy.com.au.

Maysa’s busy schedule also means she is warming up for her guest appearance at a charity comedy night – ‘Blinded by the Light’ next month. Maysa will perform along side a number of high profile comedians all helping to raise money for people who are blind or have low vision.

Wayne Deakin will play host to comedy greats including Chris Bennet, Dave O’Neil, Gab Rossi, Pommy Johnson and Greg Fleet at The Comics Lounge, 26 Errol Street, North Melbourne on Saturday 17th March from 8pm (doors open at 7pm).

Tickets are $35 each and available now from The Comics Lounge on (03) 9348 9488.Combining the skills and resources of five leading blindness organisations to create one national voice, Vision Australia is committed to delivering exceptional and efficient services that open up exciting possibilities for our community.

For more information or to support Vision Australia call 1300 84 74 66 or visit www.visionaustralia.org.au.

Maysa was also a recipient of a Vision Australia Further Education Bursary Award in 2006. The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary Award program assists people who are blind or vision impaired to participate in Further Education through the provision of adaptive technology.

Ann Barker MP, State Member for Oakleigh, presenting Maysa with her award