Beyond visual range

They see with the eyes of their souls. And if their souls crave for sight as known by the rest of us, they do not show it as they carry on with the business of living. A challenging task by itself for each of the visually-impaired girls in The Poona School for the Blind Girls in Kothrud, Pune.

For not only are these children sightless, they are little better than orphans. Coming primarily from economically-backward families and mostly from villages around Pune, this residential school is more like a home for the girls, with the parents dropping in to meet them only once or twice a year.

Providing the girls free education, specialised training, boarding, lodging, medical aid and recreational activities, the school is heavily dependent on government grants and donations from industrial houses and social work organisations. And as it continues with its commendable task, overcoming myriad hurdles like rehabilitation of the students and periodic financial crunches, the school and its dedicated staff have certainly done much to bring a ray of light into the lives of those who know only darkness.