Vision perfect

A Braille Reading Competition,held on Friday,was a big occasion at the workshop of the National Association for the Blind. A private company had,as part of its corporate social responsibility,announced a week earlier that the winners would be awarded a special Louis Braille wristwatch,a part of which is manufactured in France.

Every year,the group organises a function on January 4,Braille’s birth anniversary. Babita Jaiswal,19,says,“It’s a bigger occasion for us than the New Year’s eve. This year,the function got delayed owing to some unavoidable reasons,but we were having a reading competition for the first time.”

These unemployed persons,aged 15-40,are getting trained at the NAB workshop for vocational jobs that can ensure them a job once they move out of the organisation. From making paper bags,to folders and oil lamps to hats worn by chefs in five-star hotels,the centre trains them in skills that will find them a job,in addition to giving them a stipend of Rs 75 a day till the training period is completed. They also learn the basics in Braille writing and reading at the workshop.

Swati Kasare,32,beams with happiness as she feels the watch on her left wrist and informs others that the time is 1700 hours. She was the only contender who could read the paragraph written in Braille without stopping or stammering. “The watch costs more than Rs 600 and I wouldn’t have been able to afford it myself. I am glad to have won.” Runners-up Prashant Salunkhe and Chhaya Barde,who also got the watches,nod in agreement.

The five-year-old centre has managed to survive despite severe funds crunch. Project head Ashok Parihar says it is the enthusiasm of teachers and learners that keep things going. “After the training,we help them in induction into jobs as well. While they are getting trained here,we get orders from big companies to manufacture items such as diyas,paper bags,rakhis etc. This gets us some money but we mostly have to rely on big donations that don’t come by easily.”

Bags and plates made out of waste Braille paper are among the most sold products. “Many a time,these students make mistakes while learning the Braille script that renders the paper they are practising on useless. Such paper is then used to make bags and plates. These are an instant hit amongst buyers when we put up stalls at exhibitions such as the Kala Ghoda festival.”