Chinonye ‘Chi Chi’ Omeje Joins VERC Enterprises

The Nigerian native, who was severely burned and blinded as a teenager, has been hired as a greeter following a four-month internship.

January 26, 2017

RANDOLPH, Mass. – VERC Enterprises has announced that Chinonye “Chi Chi” Omeje has joined VERC Randolph Mobil on a part-time basis as a greeter following a four-month internship. “Chi Chi developed such wonderful relationships with customers during her internship last fall that when she left for a month, people continually asked for her,” said Barry Ahern, director of operations and human resources at VERC. 

VERC, recognized as a leader in hiring individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, has partnered with the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind to provide employment and internships for those deemed legally blind. VERC’s Ideas 2 Go video explores this more, and you can read “The People Difference” from NACS Magazine for more information. VERC CEO Leo Vercollone also talks about the company’s dedication to the community in the NACS Convenience Matters podcast, “Doing Good for the Neighborhood.”

Omeje’s story is one of sorrow and celebration. She was severely burned 10 years ago, when as a teenager in her homeland of Nigeria she had an epileptic seizure and fell face first into a cooking fire, spilling a pot of stew over her head. The accident left her blinded and facially disfigured. A Nigerian-born American who learned of Omeje’s plight while visiting a rural clinic intervened and helped bring Chi Chi and her mother to Milton, Mass., in 2005. Over the past decade, several of the world’s top plastic surgeons have performed dozens of surgical procedures on the now 27-year-old, including a face transplant in 2009.

A graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, Omeje interned at the VERC Randolph Mobil last September, quickly earning the admiration and respect of both VERC staff and customers. In addition to greeting customers, her new part-time post with VERC will include light cleaning duties. “We’re excited to have Chi Chi on our staff and look forward to seeing her thrive here,” said Ahern, noting that Omeje’s “amazing positive attitude is powerful.”

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