Chennai-based NGO enables the blind see their own potential

CHENNAI: Recognising accessibility and affordability as major concerns to good assistive devices, technology and skills for the empowerment of persons with visual impairment, a not-for-profit organisation in the city has been closely working with the Tamil Nadu government for the past 25 years.

The organisation has been providing customised skill-based training in different capacities using technology since 2013. And since its inception in 1999, more than 2,000 persons with visual impairment have been trained on various skills free of cost by the Karna Vidya (learning through hearing) Foundation (KVF), which is headquartered at Guindy.

The funding for training mostly comes from corporates through corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and by the government. The training focuses on making the visually impaired candidates job-ready, both in government and private sectors. And, till date, 100 candidates have been employed in different organisations from popular e-commerce firms and information technology (IT) companies.

Bringing in people with full and partial impairment from the city and across different locations in Tamil Nadu, the NGO trains them to fulfil their desired academic pursuits. The centre is headquartered in Guindy, and has centres in Tirunelveli, Salem, Madurai, Tiruchy, Arani, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Tiruvallur, Virudhunagar, Pudukkottai and Thanjavur.

“The programme is focused on helping students with visual impairment from under-privileged backgrounds complete their college education, and also adults find better jobs. And, because of multiple requests from participants, KVF set up audio lessons and started a library in Mandaveli in 2003,” said a member KVF.

The audio library, which is open every Saturday, has all kinds of audio lessons in academic non-academic fields. There are more than 300 e-books and 5,500 titles for the persons with visual impairment to learn from.

Noting the growth of IT and adopting the same to empower the visually impaired, KVF set up a tech centre in Guindy and other locations in TN. “The centre uses the latest assistive technologies and devices, including Braille, to help students, both in school and college, and adults with visual impairment to learn and use,” said another KVF member.

In Chennai alone, there are at least 80 persons with visual impairment getting trained with over 20 trainers every year. “Besides working with them at the centre, we’ve also collaborated with the government to conduct research studies to understand the needs of persons with visual impairment,” said K Raghuraman, an honorary adviser to KVF, who is also an assistant professor in the English department, Government Arts College, Nandanam.

A person with visual impairment, Raghuraman explains the need for such a training. “In India, there is still a deep lack of awareness on accessibility and affordability of assistive devices and methods to use technology to empower themselves. But, right now, with a regular laptop and with quality training, any candidate with visual impairment can become independent and well-educated to land a quality job.”

 The training is done on various levels – for professionals and school children. There are tech-based awareness courses too. For placements, KVF is also working with TN Skill Based Corporation (TNSDC).