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EDITORIAL Inner Eye tends to reveal the advancement and progress achieved in the field of the visually challenged. It also exposes the deprivation of the Society to the visually challenged in different sectors of life. The purpose is to highlight the present scenario in order to ameliorate the social implication faced by the sightless. Thanks to WML for initiating this magazine on being sponsored by Dept. of Human Resource, Govt. of West Bengal. This magazine will highlight the achievements in the field of Games and Sports by the students of Vivekananda Mission School for the Blind, Chaitanyapur and the rehabilitation of the sightless initiated by Rehabilitation Officer of Blind Boys academy, Narendrapur. The editor has exposed the deprivation faced by the sightless in relation to Human Rights. But as varities is the spice of life the editor has incorporated a nice Article by a lady who visited Vietnam recently. This Article is very impressive in point of struggle of the Vietnamese and their ultimate victory. The progress and development of the sightless in matters of education and rehabilitation has also been nicely highlighted here. ------------- VISUALLY CHALLENGED AND HUMAN RIGHTS Ashoke Choudhury
Man is born on earth and every society guarantees certain rights to every individual irrespective of handicapped or non handicapped persons. Right to live with safety, Right to speak, Right to write and Right to enjoy all sorts of privileges as enjoyed by one and all. It is unfortunate that the Human Right are being violated today in every nook and corner of the society. So many innocent people have been victims to terrorism and slaughters, women cannot live with safety--their chastity has been at stake. Railway passengers often face robbers and fall prey to dacoits, even passengers in the flight are often hijacked, tortured and killed and even children are not excluded from ruthless attack of the terrorist. Shakespeare once in Kin Lear said “Flies are to the wanton boys, are we to the Gods”. Nowadays we made change they observed in the present context of the society and recast as “Flies are to the Wanton boys, are we to the terrorist.” In fact today in the modern society man has achieved great advancement in matters of science and technology. But considering the dismal march of death slowly stepping forward to the human society and engulfing human existence on earth by barbarism, murder, bomb-blast and inhuman torture. We all feel that human rights are not respected and regarded in our present society. The history of visually challenged people is tragic at bottom. In the bygone days blind children were thrown down from the top of the hill and killed as the then people of the Society. In Sparta they believed that Blind children has no right to live on earth. The blind women in China had to survive as prostitute in the long past with the advent of Christianity. Gradually mercy was cast upon the Blind children and they began to survive either as a beggar or as a singer. In course of time the first school for the Blind in Paris set up in 1784 and gradually the education of the visually challenged spread all over the globe. But the prejudices and superstitions about the sightless still loom large in the present society. It is pathetic when we see violation of human rights from educated persons. Scribes were denied to the sightless in the school service examination. As a result the sightless had to go to the court for legal decision. As per court decision visually challenged are appearing at the public examination conducted by school service commission or staff selection commission but it is unfortunate even often successful results appointing authorities do not like to take visually challenged persons in the service, as the authorities are prejudiced about the sightless that they cannot do duty properly. Some people of the Society try to take advantage of blindness and try to extract bribe from them. For example a Visually Challenged customer deposited a account payee cheque from ICI Bank to Indian Bank Ultadanga Branch for encashment. Strangely enough that the Bank demanded Rs. 4000.00 as additional amount to be paid by the customer before encashment of the cheque un his SB Account. The matter was communicated to the writer of this Article and he advided to lodge a complain to the Regional Branch of Bank of India. However by the intervention of the Regional office, the Bank authority refrained from taking bribe and harassing the Sightless customer. The women are deprived on human rights both at home and in the society. Many families do not accept the sightless girls mentally as a result they are deprived of so many privileges at home as enjoyed by seeing brothers and sisters of the family. This happens due to the denial and negligent attitude of the parents. But in case of protective parents the scenario is different. The sightless lady member of the family enjoy additional privileges which are not extended to the other seeing member of the family. Today in the edge of advancement of the science and technology some educationist such as Headmasters and Principals of Colleges do not try to accept the visually challenged students as regular students of their educational institution. It is bitter experience of the suthor that some students of the schools for the blind even passing with flying colour are denied of admission. This happens due to the ignorance of the educationist about the potential exposer of the visually challenged. In this way visually challenged are deprived of human rights in different sectors of the society. Until society is properly educated about the latent capability of the visually challenged, this deprivcation will recur more and more and the sightless persons will be victimized to the tragic circumstances. -------------
COLUMN FROM VIETNAM Mrs. Supriya Roy
To us, Calcuttans, the word Viet Nam invariably conjures up the association with the slogan Aamaar Naa Tomaar Namm Vietnam painted as graffiti on the city walls and also shouted as a slogan by various processions in the 1960s. Little did I dream then that I would visit Vietnam one day. I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation from my Bangladeshi friend, whose husband was the Bangladesh ambassador to Vietnam, and so I was in Vietnam able to take in many sights in august company with facilities not normally available to general tourists. Vietnam has a coastline 2139 miles long with unspoilt beaches, stunning lagoons, coconut palms and endless expanses of sand dunes. Vietnam borders Cambodia, Laos and China and stretches over 1600 km along the eastern coast of the Indo Chinese Peninsula. The country’s 2 main cultivated areas are the Red River Delta (15000 sq. km.) in the north and the Mekong Delta (60000 sq. km.) in the south. Three quarters of the country is mountainous and hilly, the highest peak being the 3143 m. high Fansipan in northwest Vietnam. The country is made up of equatorial lowlands, temperate plateaus and alpine peaks. Although Vietnam’s wildlife is rich, it is in precipitous decline because of the destruction of habitats and illegal hunting. Less than 20% of the country remains forested and what remains is under threat from slash and burn agriculture and excessive harvesting. Fauna includes elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, black bear, snub-nose monkey, crocodile and turtle. Viet Nam has five national parks: Cat Ba, Ba Be Lake, and Cuc Phuong national parks in the north, Bach Ma National Park in the Centre and Nam cat Tien National Park in the South. From the 1st to the 6th centuries, the south of what is now Viet Nam was part of the Indianised kingdom of Funan. The Hindu kingdom of Champa appeared around present-day Danang in the late 2nd century and had spread south to what is now Nha Trang by the 8th century. The Chinese conquered the Red River Delta in the 2nd century and their 1000-year rule, marked by tenacious Vietnamese resistance and repeated rebellions, ended in 938 AD when Ngo Quyen vanquished the Chinese armies at the Bach Dang River. During the next few centuries, Vietnam repulsed repeated invasions by China and expanded its borders southwards from the Red River Delta populating much of the Mekong Delta. In 1858 French and Spanish-led forces stormed Danang after several missionaries had been killed. A year later Saigon (now Ho Chi Minch City) was seized. By 1867 France had conquered all of southern Vietnam, which became the French colony of Cochin-China. After the Second World War Vietnam was returned to the French, the former colonial power. In 1945 a broad front of Vietnamese patriots and nationalists controlled by the Communist Party seized power and Ho Chi Minh announced independence. Although French forces attacked Haiphong to wrest back power they were unsuccessful and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was recognized by China and USSR in 1950. Communist guerillas under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh resisted French domination. Ho Chi Minh’s declaration of Vietnamese independence sparked violent confrontations with the French culminating in the French military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The same year the country was split into North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel at the Geneva Conference. The French left Vietnam in 1954. Meantime the USA which were paying 70% of the costs of the war between Vietnam and the French owing to their rabid desire to contain Communism continued to support the South Vietnamese President, President Ngo Dinh Diem although the latter had seized power illegally, after beginning a campaign against political dissidents in 1956. By 1967 the US had 500000 troops fighting in Viet Nam. In spite of this they were roundly ‘defeated’ and there was a gradual drawback of their troops from Viet Nam in 1969. This was followed by the start of talks between Henry Kissinger on behalf of the US and Le Duc Tho for the North Vietnam Government in 1970 and finally there was a ceasefire agreement and US troop pull-out in 1973. Within 2 years North Vietnamese troops invaded South Vietnam and took control of the country after President Duong Van Minh of South Vietnam surrendered. We have always considered why a mighty country such as the USA was unable to win this war against an impoverished state such as North Vietnam. Here are some of the reasons. The US soldiers did not make themselves popular with the local population. The did not speak Vietnamese and threw their money about in a very poor society. The US soldiers were not used to jungle warfare and did not know the land. The Vietcong fought a guerilla war, using surprise tactics which the US soldiers could cope with. The Ho Chi Minh trail kept the Viet Cong supplied and hidden underground. The US Government lost public support for the war once the casualties started to mount. The US Government lost public support for the war because of their methods e.g. chemical weapons, blanket bombings. My Lai massacre. The high casualty rate led to loss of morale in the US troops. Finally, it was the Vietnamese desire for Nationalism rather than Communism which had driven the forces from North Vietnam in this war which the US failed to identify in their desperate desire to curb Communism. The American public was also turned off the war for several reasons. Television in homes showed to the American public in their homes the realities of the war. The high casualty rates especially after escalation of the war by Lyndon Johnson, the shame felt at what the soldiers appears to be doing--Napalm bombings, Agent Orange, My Lai massacre made the people disgusted with the war. Public protests in the USA encouraged others to protest--especially the young people in universities. There were public protests across the world, even in friendly countries such as the UK. Financial costs of the war had become very high. Meanwhile the beginnings of détente in the late 60s led some Americans to feel that Communism was not the terrible enemy that they had thought it was. Four great philosophies and religions have shaped the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people--Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Over the centuries the first three have melded with the popular Chinese beliefs and ancient Vietnamese animism to form what is known as Tam Giao (or Triple Religion). The Vietnamese language (Kanh) belongs to the Mon-Khmer stockwhich comprises Mon (spoken in Burma) and Khmer (the language of Cambodia) as well as khmu, Bahnar, Bru and other languages of the highlands of Vietnam. The most widely spoken foreign languages on Vietnam Cantonese, Mandarin, English, French and Russian. Popular artistic forms include traditional painting produced on frame mounted silk, an electric array of theatre puppetry, music and dance, religious sculpture and lacquer ware. In fact every shop I visited turned out to be a miniature art gallery. Vietnam cuisine is specially varied--there are said to be nearly 500 different traditional dishes. However the staple of Vietnamese food is plain white rice dressed up with a plethora of vegetables, meat fish, spices and sauces. Spring rolls and steamed rice pancakes are popular snacks. Soups include eel and vermicelli, shredded chicken and bitter soups. Vietnamese coffee is excellent Fruits available include green dragon fruit, jujube, khaki, longan, mangosteen, pomelo, three seed cherry and water apple. Special prayer are held at Vietnamese and Chinese pagodason days when the moon is either full or the merest sliver. Many Buddhists eat only vegetarian food on these days. Some of the special events are: Tet (late January--early February)--the most important festival of the year, marking the new lunar year as well as the advent of spring. Wandering Souls Day (August)--the second largest festival of the year when offerings of food and gifts are given to the wandering souls of the forgotten dead. Doan Ngu (June) when human effigies are burnt, becoming solders in the god of death’s army. Holidays of the Dead (April) which commemorates deceased relatives. Ancestor worship is a very important part in the life of the Vietnamese. So much so that they build paper replicas of objects such as cars, motor cycles etc. and burn them. The truly believe that the smoke will actually reach their ancestors.
Places of Interest Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the heart and soul of Vietnam. It is a bustling, dynamic and industrious center, the largest city the economic capital and the cultural trendsetter. Sights include the Glac Lamp Pagoda, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Hall, Cholon Market and the Conservatory of Music.
Dalat is the main center of the Southern Highlands region. Sights include the Hang Na Guesthouse and Art Gallery, the Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, the old French Quarter and the Valley of Love. Nha Trang is a quiet beach resort, It is a major fishing port and sights include the Cham Towers. Hue is the most beautiful city in Vietnam. The remains of a huge, moated citadel include sights such as the Nine Holy Cannons, the Imperial enclosure, the Palace of Supreme Harmony and the Halls of the Mandarins. 15 km south of Hue are the Royal Tombs. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam but looks like a provincial French city, Sights include the 11th century Temple of Literature, the 15th century Old Quarter, some enchanting lakes and temples and the Mausoleum of the Ho Chi Minh. Hanoi has 36 streets each named for a particular craft such as silverware, jewellery etc. It is also strange that in spite of being the capital of the country it has hardly any automobiles on the roads. The city is full of two wheelers which jam up most of the thoroughfares. There are the most excellent seamstresses in this city--they can match any in the world. Halong Bay is magnificent with 3000 islands rising from the clear waters of the Gulf of Tomkin. The impressive Hang Dau Go is a huge grotto with three cambers. Ha Tien situated on the Gulf of Thailand 8 km from the Cambodia frontier is famous fits warm water and white sand beaches. Sam Mountains is situated in the Mekong Delta and known for its pagodas and temples. Central Highlands have towns such as Buon Ma Thuot, Pleika and Kontum people by ethnic minority groups while Tua and Ban Don have a matrilineal and matrilocal society. Hoi An is an important river port 30 km south of Danang. It reatains the feel of centuries past with a magnificent collection of 850 older structures such as merchants homes, pagodas, public buildings and a whole city block of colonnaded French buildings. Sapa is located at an altitude of 1600 m. in the North Western highlands. It serves as a hill station. Dien Bien Phu is in the heart shaped valley of Muong Thanh, it was here that the Viet Minh defeated the French forces in 1954. Given below is some information for what has been done and is being done for the blind in Vietnam.
Association of the Blind of Vietnam 139 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Blind Association of Hochiminh city, the 185 Cong Qhynh Street, District 1, Hochiminh City, Vietnam. Tel: +84 8 396 697, Fax: +84 8 839 6697, Email: hnmtp@hcm.vnn.vn Activities: Hochiminh City Blind Association aims to help blind people to be integrated into their social community on equal terms with any other citizens. Mainly concentrating on blind orphans and visually impaired juniors, blind and visually impaired adults and elderly blind and visually impaired people. Their main activities include Personnel Resource Development: creating good relations with local government for support, opening leaders training courses in branches and developing new branches and their members. Diffusion and Education: opening classes of Braille anti-literacy, creating chances for the blind to the mainstream school and university, establishes then school of blind orphan junior including 67 pupils, producing many types of education materials for the library and school. Daily Living and Employment for the blind: opening training courses of rehabilitation and employment for the blind, forming three production workshop to create suitable jobs for the blind, running the projects of supporting employment for the blind from National Fund, the other programs taking care for the blind.
Last updated: 28/11/2000
Helen Keller International, C/o Prof. Nhan Nai, Institute of Ophthalmology, 85 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: +84 42 63967 Fax: +84 42 52004
Activities: Cataract Surgery. Last updated: 20/08/1998 National Institute of Ophthalmology 85 Bar Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: +84 4 263967 Fax: +84 4 252004
Nguyen Dinh Chieu School for the Blind, 184 Nguyen Chi thanh Street, D-10 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tel: +84 8 352959/8397470 Fax: +84 8 8222136
Activities: Education center, & related research. Support other institutions in Southern. Last updated 21/08/98 Vien Khoa Hoc Giao Duc Vietnam (National Institute of Education Sciences), 101 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Contract person: Dr. Nguyen Duc Minh, Director of Center for Special Education Tel: +84 4 942 2938; +84 4 572 3195 Fax: +84 4 572 3521 Email: niesvision@netnam.vn
Activities: Center of Special Education for disabled children (CSE) belongs to NIES was established 26 years ago and accomplishes following tasks: Research on disabled children psychology; Research on content, method and means of teaching of disabled children in general and for visually impaired (VI) children in particular; Set up theory of education for disabled and VI children in Vietnam; set up model for education for disabled and VI children in Vietnam; Transference knowledge of the care and education for disabled and VI children in Vietnam through training activities for teachers working on special and inclusive education of disabled children. Consult for Ministry of Education and Training and relevant organization for the care and education for disabled children. Department of Special Education belongs to CSE worked on all the above issues and trained for teachers of VI schools in nation--wide. Last updated: 14/01/2003 Vietnam Blind Association, 139 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: +84 48 452060 Fax: +84 48 452537 Last updated: 20/02/2001
The Blind Association of Hochiminh City. Chairman, Hochiminh city, Vietnam.
In 2001, there are 306000 blind people because of some diseases as: accidents, consequences of war, chemical poison … Vietnam Blind Association (VBA) has 33 association branches in cities and provinces with 31730.00 members.
In Hochiminh city, 4000 blind people over 5 million people, 1130 blind members working for 19 urban suburban branches and how to create suitable jobs for the blind with stable income and vocational career.
Used employment models:
Handicrafts production: 100 blind workers can earn living by making bamboo-rattan, brushes, mats products after vocational courses. National Fund for Job Assistance (NFJA) of VND. 541700.00 approx. USD. 36000.00 assisted 370 blind families who can support themselves with small business as handicraft products, animal husbandry and so on. Service of therapeutic massage: Hochiminh city Blind Association open training courses from 1995 until now with 33 blind masseurs and income is USD. 50.00/person/month.
Now therapeutic massage is applied not only in Hochiminh city but also in local communities. For the 5-year plan (2001-2005), Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre for the blind (RVTC) will be established to create more jobs for the blind. This action is suitable for the present situation and Labour Law of Vietnam.
It is concluded that the blind will be trained at RVTC and equipped with education, rehabilitation, vocational training and employment. -------------
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Project Director of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has undertaken a topic-named Accessibility to museum, art and cultural organization for visitors with visual impairment.
Rupa Bhattacharya, a student of Human Rights Dept. of Calcutta University is doing a special paper on Human Rights of Blind in W.B. In this paper she wanted to show that how sightless people are deprived from their basic right though they are human being but still they are treated as a second citizen. Most of the time they are suffering from social discrimination. Still they are deprived to get proper educational and economic facilities. Among them the condition of woman are worst. They do not get the right against exploitation.
Webel Mediatronics is selling the Systems for the sightless at a reasonable rates. Customers are requested to see the System at Webel Mediatronics, 88, Taratala Road, Base Bridge Station and purchase the system after their choice. -------------
SPORTS CAREER--A VISUALLY IMPAIRED VILLAGE GIRL’S SUCCESS IN OPEN EMPLOYMENT --Ms. Gita Jana Headmistress VMA Residential School for the Blind
A SUCCESS STORY A simple Sari clad girl with a folding mobility stick held in her hand is coming out of her village hut, the edge of the thatched top-shed may bump you if you enter erect. The village is Champi under P.S. Durgachak, in Haldia subdivision, Dist. Purba Medinipur, West Bengal. The girl is advancing along a red boulder–top road riding a trolley-van for 20 minutes towards Girishmorh. On her way trees, plants and paddy fields are waving their heads in joy realizing the success of a Visually Impaired girl of their soil. From Girishmorh she is boarding on a bus to go to Manjushree Morh and from there by another bus she is reaching City Center. Alighting from the bus and walking along a footpath she is entering a well-furnished building--Haldia Pourasabha Bhaban (Haldia Municipality Building). She commutes this way to attend her office where she is serving the post of Table Attendant very efficiently though she is devoid totally of her vision. She has been given this opportunity for the exquisite elegance of her sports achievement in her life. This is an unprecedented, unique and incredible incident in West Bengal that a visually Impaired rural girl has snatched the scope of being appointed in the open employment by dint of her athletic talent as she has represented India two times in the International Track and Field Championship for the Visually Impaired. She is no other than Ms. Durga Midya who is well known to you all by this time by the grace and focus of Print and Electronic Media every now and then. It is really a historic event as she is the first Visually Impaired lady to receive such job from sports category. Not beating much about the bush I am to tell you the story: Ms. Durga Midya lost her eye-sight at the age of 10 while she was a student of class IV of her village Primary School. Being assured by medical decision that she had acquired an incurable blindness in both of her eyes one day she came to the door of VIVEKANANDA MISSION ASRAM RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, the only Institute in rural Bengal perhaps in India also which takes every care for physical activities of Visually Impaired children along with all other academic, craft, computer & Co-curricular activities. In the 2nd year of her days in this school she came to the special notice of all staff specially the Games & Sports Instructors and she was detected and spotted out for her inborn hidden talent in Games and Sports.
INSTITUTE THAT CARES
Since its inception in 1978 this institute felt the necessity and importance of Games and Sports in the life of Visually Impaired Children. To make this type of disabled children at per the non-disabled (normal) in their Mobility and Orientation skill games & sports play a vital role shaping and moulding their walking with free movement and enriching their comfort--level. Is it the only thing? Of course not. Through the practice and culture of games and sports they can cast off their psychological burden, despondency, despair & dispirit so long they are engaged in such activities. They can get at least moment’s relief from their tension and anxieties caused for their blindness. Simultaneously they become happy challenging their sighted peers that they can also play like them. Believe it or not, in the International Sports arena some V. I. sports men and women are there who can clock 10:50:25/11:00 second to finish 100 mtr. Race with their sighted guide or runner tethered in their hand. This type of activities in most of the cases help them to check and get rid of their manneristic behaviors too.
Keeping all these in view the Institute included physical activities for the Visually Impaired vehemently & vigorously in its daily routine and not merely for the syllabus only. Apart from the class hour our sincere and committed Physical Instructors devote extra time for the students who exhibit their latent potentials in this sphere. They are very fond of nurturing there inherent capabilities and to draw out the best from them. Time passed, in the year 1982 the students of this Institute appeared first in the National sports Meet held in New Delhi organized by the Blind Relief Association now it is also a body of the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA). Since then they have never looked back. In all state, National and even International Championship they participated, competed and won Cups, Trophies, Shields and have carved illustrious performance everywhere. This Institute is fortunate to become the first to send its athletes for the world championship in 1998 to represent India. It has now become a regular feature in the calendar of the Institute. As a result it has sent athletes three times by now. We extend our deepest gratitude and soulful salutations to the Generous Public, Business Houses, Well Wishers, Organization, Sports Authority of India and Govt. of West Bengal for all types of help and assistance including mite and mind received from them which have made our venture possible, and a success. This is only one successful profile, but there are nos. of brilliant success stories in the life of VMA in different walks of life with decent earnings.
A birds eye view of the enlisted documentary record will add a special dimension to this presentation:
PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE IN TRACK & FIELD EVENT: NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
MS. DURGA MIDYA: ATHLETE
(1) Year--1988; Date--24-26 Dec; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Long Jump; Position--1st. (2) Year--1989; Date--03-05 Dec; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Shot Put; Position--1st. (3) Year--1990; Date--06-07 Jan; Competition--All India; Venus--Calcutta; Event--Shot Put, Long Jump; Position--1st, 2nd. (4) Year--1990; Date--06-07 Nov; Competition--All India; Venus--Bombay; Event--Long Jump, Swimming; Position--1st, 1st. (5) Year--1993; Date--20 Mar; Competition--All Bengal; Venus--Hooghly; Event--Free Style, Back Stroke; Position--3rd, 2nd. (6) Year--1993; Date --; Competition--All Bengal; Venus--Calcutta; Event--Run, Jump, Skipping; Position--3rd, 3rd, 2nd. (7) Year--1994; Date--5th Jan; Competition--All Bengal; Venus--Calcutta; Event--Run, Long Jump, Shot Put; Position--1st, 2nd, 3rd. (8) Year--1994; Date --; Competition--All India; Venus--Dehradun; Event--Skipping, Shot Put; Position--1st, 3rd. (9) Year--1994; Date --; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Jump; Position--1st. (10) Year--1996; Date--30th Nov; Competition-- All Bengal; Venus--Calcutta; Event--Free Style, Back Stroke; Position--2nd, 3rd. (11) Year--1997; Date--5th Jan; Competition-- All Bengal; Venus--Uttarpara; Event--Run, Position--1st. (12) Year--1997; Date --; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Run, Position--1st. (13) Year--1998; Date-- 9th May; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Run, Position--1st. (14) Year--1998; Date--28th May; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Run, Position-- Selected for World Championship. (15) Year--1998; Date--17-25 July; Competition--International; Venus--Madrid (Spain); Event--Run (100 mt.), Position--15.50 Sec (8th place). (16) Year--1999; Date--26th August; Competition--International (Demonstration); Venus-- Sevella (Spain); Event--Run (100 mt.), Position--15.59 Sec (7th place). (17) Year--2000; Date--19th Feb; Competition--All Bengal; Venus--Hindmotor; Event--Run; Position--1st. (18) Year--2000; Date--24-26 Nov; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Run (400 mt.), Discuss Throw; Position--1st, 2nd. (19) Year--2001; Date--3rd February; Competition--All Bengal; Venus--Jadavpur; Event--Run (100 mt.); Position--1st. (20) Year--2002; Date--02-04 Dec; Competition--All India; Venus--Delhi; Event--Run (400 mt.), Run (800 mt.), Discuss Throw; Position--1st, 2nd, 2nd.
Award: (1) Year--2002; Date--19th January; Competition--NEELUM KHURSED MEMORIAL AWARD; Venus--NAB, Mumbai.
Problems, Prospects & Need for Developing a Strategy for Vocational Training of the Visually Impaired
Shri Trilokesh Chakraborty Rehabilitation Officer Ramkrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy Narendrapur.
It is necessary at the outset to clarify what I do mean by “rehabilitation” in the context of today’s purview. It is absolutely true that the term in question includes an overall uplift of the client concerned--medical, social and familial, still, for the sake of convenience, it would be better if we extend the term to signify mainly “the economic rehabilitation”. There is no doubt, all other questions of “rehabilitation” at any level, tend to be closely associated with the question of successful economic placement; in other words, a dignified job with a reasonable fat salary is matched with dignified position in the society and family. My proposal to restrict myself to the question of “economic rehabilitation” is, therefore, justified.
Problem and Prospect:
Restricting myself, again, to the question of effective economic placement of the visually handicapped people, as I am solely concerned with that specific area, I, for myself, do not have any hesitancy to assert that, under the present milieu, the prospect of economic rehabilitation on the part of the Visually Handicapped is not very bright. It is true that the Government of India reserved 3 percent of the total job vacancy for the handicapped group of workers,--1 percent for each type of legally accepted workable group of the disabled--for the VH, for the H.H. and for the O.H. respectively,--still the quota stands to remain a “quota” only as the employers generally lack any idea of matching appropriate job with proper handicapping potential. From my own experience as a Rehabilitation Worker, I may quote multifarious instances to show that the client is refused by a particular Concern, even after being selected by the SSC simply on the ground that the post is not suitable for any V.H. worker, whereas, ridiculously enough, they claim that they have ventured to fulfill the quota. A blind worker is not replaced by a blind worker after super annuation; a blind worker is not provided with any job even after appointment, allowed to idle to be reduced to a sinecure, entailing work-apathy and frustration. In most of the schools for the blind, there is no additional curricular activities to make the learners vocationally biased and thereby rehabilitationally oriented. The recent People with Disabilities Act, 1995, has made the problem more complex than ever by categorising the VH into “blind” and “low-visioned” individuals. This has endangered and narrowed down the job prospect of the blind, as the employers will always try to fill up the quota with the low-visioned worker for all practical purposes to have increase in the quantum of work potentiality. Thus the proposed reservation carries no sense unless and until separate quota is allotted to the low-visioned workers, Prejudices and hazard complex also stand in the proper placement of the blind workers.
Need for developing appropriate strategy: In the above context, it is absolutely evident that we are to adopt appropriate strategy adopted for the V.H. workers.
A handicapped individual should be taught to accept the limitations of the specific handicapping condition in the very social context, so that he may have a fairly estimable knowledge about his potentialities to face the challenges of reality, avoiding daydreaming. This is the task of the counsellers. It is, true, essential that every school/training center for any kind of handicapped clients, should have the provisions for counseling and vocational guidance with the help of highly technical personnel.
Every school curriculum should be vocationally oriented. There should be arrangements for Arts and Crafts, Industrial Arts Learn and Earn, Mockshopping etc. along with the general school curricular activities.
Vocational training centers should be updated and at per with the demand for the technical requirements from a worker. Traditional Lathe and Capsten should be appended to by Computers and Computerised technology, with the help of SSS (Synthetic Speech System) technology.
Every Officer training Course should be revised to include awareness activities in respect of the handicapped workers. Renewed effort for job identification for different categories of handicapped should be made in the context of the modern technological advancement that needs change in the training dimension. To fix a screw in an appropriate whole, the screw should also be made to fit in. While undergoing vocational/industrial training, the trainees must be provided with the opportunity for visiting actual industries to understand the industrial environment. This will enable them to adjust themselves with future work milieu easily.
At all levels, self-employment should be encouraged with the help of self-sufficient training programmes and efficient marketing organizations. I do believe, it is better to identify certain jobs and reserve those for specific group of handicapped than introducing misleading quota system. There should be certain job area which should be meant for a handicapped worker suitable for the job. This will widen the scope and prospect of the rehabilitation of the handicapped. Wherever possible, Community-based Rehabilitational project should be adopted. At present, many NGOs are involved in such programmes but not in a position to continue it due to paucity of fund. To make viable, the Government should come forward to finance such projects thereby opening new horizon for rehabilitation of the blind and other handicapped.
It is undeniable that in the context of rapid growth and development of industry, traditional training could not be sufficient at any rate to provide a V.H. worker with desirable standard of living. It has already been said that self-employment is one of the most important avenues for a visually handicapped client in establishing himself with all his dignities. But definitely it necessitates a different type of positive training in personality development, a fact so long almost overlooked. I, therefore, suggest that the training in salesmanship, in quality and office management, business organization, Book keeping etc. should readily be included within the regular curriculum of a Vocational Training Center for the Visually Handicapped. The client should be encountered with various market experiences and for that every training programme should be geared with appropriate practical programmes with a view to effecting the client-market interaction.
As I already hinted at, computer-based job oriented training should be implemented with the appropriate adaptation for the V.H. and the adapting technology is now available indigenously. On the other hand the job of a Secretary/Office Assistant in the office set-up with the fair knowledge of Steno-Typing, Telephone operating are highly needed at present and these areas can easily be explored by the V.H. Therefore, every opportunity should be explored for them so that they may have an easy access to this type of job through appropriate training.
Remedial Therapy Course for Visually Impaired Persons in developed countries continues to be a profession gaining popularity and respect. V.I. adults after getting this training can earn their livelihood through private practice or attach in Govt. Hospitals. This training course can also be introduced in the vocational training centers in our States.
To conclude, it should be remembered that education signifies all-round development which leads to mastering successful art of living. It is therefore necessary that every educational programme should be vocationally oriented and every learner should be taught to build up his career from the very beginning with the effective help of the Career-Counselor and Vocational guidance.
To The Editor, INNER EYE,
I have had the good fortune to read two issues of “Inner Eye”. I have found it extremely interesting and instructive. I have been impressed by various contributions which are all useful for sightless readers. I think that the magazine can play a very useful role in creating social consciousness about the benefit which will accrue to society through mainstreaming the sightless and other so called “Disabled” persons into society. Unfortunately, almost all over the world this matter is looked at as a benefit. This matter is looked at as a benefit conferred on the so-called “disabled”. It will be a great service to society as a whole if through this magazine a consciousness is created that the “disabled” in today’s perspective can play an immense role in enriching society through their contributions.
The articles printed are extremely useful. A little more attention may perhaps be paid to proofreading.
Yours faithfully,
Sadhan Gupta
58/1, Ibrahimpur Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata--700 032, Date--10.07.2004.
To The Editor, INNER EYE,
Dear Sir,
I have gone through all the issues of INNER EYE with pleasure and attention. Thanks to your tireless effort and to the sincerest co-operation of the WML staff that such a magazine has been published, which contains articles not only informative, but also enlightening.
However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the quality of the magazine will be further improved if more care is given to proofreading; for there are some printing mistakes and errors of omission and commission.
With Thanks, Yours faithfully, (S. Sengupta)
MY OBSERVATION AS I USE THE SOFT WARE DEVELOPED BY WEBEL MEDIATRONICS LTD.
In the computer what I think appears to be indispensable part of our Educational life. As a sightless lady I have been using your Soft Wire through computer for the last two years. The nice discovery of the Braille Soft Wire has opened the flood gate of knowledge to the sightless. This computer has brought parity between our reading and writing of Braille at a reasonable speed. At present we have not to wait for any seeing Reader for reading out printing materials.
The sightless has been independent in dealing with the computer and producing Braille. Sightless even can make date entry and it has facilitate so many sightless students in matters of Braille reading and writing.
Still I have felt an inconvenience in dealing with this computer as because still now I can not operate it solely without the assistance of the seeing. Besides this till date have not been able to raise this computer to internet programming by the sightless alone.
I think in course of time this inconvenience will be removed and the sightless will be able to deal with the computer independently.
SMT LISA BANERJEE ASSTT. TEACHER OF MUSIC CALCUTTA BLIND SCHOOL BEHALA, KOLKATA--700 034 -------------
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