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EDITORIAL Mr. ASHOKE CHOWDHURY
Apart from different services rendered by WML in the field of the visually impaired, a new venture has been taken up by the said company to transcribe 18 volumes of Rabindra Rachanaboli into Braille in this year. Needless to add that Webel set out its journey in this direction from 7th May 2005 in the birth anniversary of Tagore at Nazrul Mancha. One volume was brailled and distributed to Mr. Swapan Gupta,Tagore singer to Calcutta Blind School and to Light House for the Blind. Calcutta Dooradarshan telecast the news on the same day for the awareness of the people. Mr. S.N. Goswami, Director of the company has inspired Mr. Ashoke Chowdhury to collect fund for this voluminous work to be accomplished within this year. Panchali, a N.G.O. has been collecting fund for data entry with the initiative of Mrs. Krishna Roy and Mr. Bijoy Chakraborty. Papers are very costly. So Sri. Chowdhury has been collecting fund for purchase of papers, although an appeal has been sent to Mr. Supriyo Gupta, disability commissioner Govt. of West Bengal for some fund. We are on the way and do not know how and when we shall reach our target. But we are sure that we have many miles to go before we arrive at our goal. --------------
Peep into new horizen Mr. ASHOKE CHOWDHURY
I had recently visited Bangalore to attend I.T. Seminar at white field. I was elated with joy, when I met two hundred fifteen visually Handicapped members engaged in different computer-based professions, attending the Seminar. All of them were successful Sightless persons working in different I.T. Sectors in Bangalore. What infact attracted my attention was their engagement in non-traditional branches with efficiency. This could not have been possible without the active sympathy an offering of employment opportunity to the sightless with proper infrastructure. Visually impaired people aspiring to work in the sector also need to be prepared. Working in a B.P.O. demands hard work, long hours and shifts are given to them. Computer Skills, of course, are essential then there is dexterity in language and work on accent. There are long training Sessions to sit through. It is not a nine to five job, and it needs the corresponding attitude. Blind employees in B.P.O’s carry the burden of being role models. They have to show that it can be done, and done successfully. B.P.O’s need people, lots of them. There are visually impaired people hunting for jobs. B.P.O. invites them for more interaction. B.P.O. wants more action and less talk. The B.P.O. Sector in India has seen tremendous growth, and is poised to grow even further. The doors of a new job opportunity have began to open for person with visual impairment and blindness. Anjali Sengupta investigates Muthu, a blind tele marketer, is thrilled at being recognized as the best achiever in his company. He works at the call center of THIRD WAVD TELE SERVICES, a Bangalore-based franchisee of Tata Indicom, along with twelve other visually impaired and Seven non-disabled colleagues. Muthu, might never have had the opportunity to prove himself, if Mr. P.B. Thimayya, managing director of THIRD WAVD TELE SERVICES had not hired him in the first place. Mr. P.B. Thimayya recognized the opportunity for employing visually challenged persons after a meeting with Mr. M. Srinivas, chief employment officer, national association for the blind. B.P.O. companies have started looking closely at visually impaired persons as a resource due to their perceived staying power. Aparana Sanjay, manager community initiatives, B.F.L. Ltd. Says, ‘we looked at the recruitment of persons with disability as a strictly business proposition. The attrition rate the B.P.O. sector is very high. So all of us are looking at non-traditional recruitment’. It is a matter of great inspiration that, while some companies recruit ex-servicemen or hire only house-wives, the aforesaid company decided to look at persons with disability. It is believed differently abled stay longer at the same place of work. Due to globalization so many multinational companies have come to Bangalore for business. They invite the visually impaired workers to join their companies without any prejudice. On having the training on different work schedule, they engage them and the sightless have been working on different jobs such as medical transcription, insurance, income-tax, call centers etc. Now with the advent of computer and technology new avenues have been explored for recruitment of the sightless in different sectors of the society. Bangalore has paved the path and acted as a predecessors rather a torch bearer in the realm of employment for the sightless. It is a pity that Bengal is lagging behind. In our state scope of employment is very meager and we are still in the habit of recruiting blind persons in a traditional manner. Here we see blind as a telephone operator or railway announcer or worker at railway workshop or a teacher in a school etc. We are sorry to say that our Government does not provide job opportunity to the sightless on quota basis nor does the Govt. survey the vacancies where the sightless are to be legally employed. Our attitude should be changed like Bangalore we should discover the latent talent of the sightless, while employing them with job opportunity. It is advocated by the Govt. that information technology in West Bengal is advancing rapidly but it cannot be advanced if the visually impaired are not engaged in this sector with due training opportunity. --------------
Highlights on information about the sightless:--
1. Blind candidates can sit for bank Exam: Supreme court order (Telegraph [P.T.I], News Delhi August 16th 2005)--The supreme has directed the banking service recruitment board to allow a visually handicapped woman to sit for probationary officers (P.O.) Exam. The bench said that rejection of her application on the ground that she was visually impaired amounted to ‘violation of her fundamental right to equality enshrined in article 14 of the constitution’. This provision guarantees ‘equality before law and equal application of law’ for all citizens.
2. Car rally with visually impaired navigators Bangalore August 8th 2005--visually impaired people in Bangalore displayed their skills in reading braille text during special friendship day CAR RALLY for blind people, organized on August 7th 2005.
3. Same CAR RALLY was organized by N.A.B. West Bengal in the month of December 2005.
4. Pak doctors in Hyderabad to sharpen pediatric ophthalmology skills. August 23th 2005--Two ophthalmologists from Peshawar are at the L.V. Prasad Eye hospital Hyderabad, as a part of training programme sponsored by the vision 2020 of the world health organization. They are here to specialize in pediatric ophthalmology a specialization needed to counter the high prevalence of childhood blindness in developing countries such as India and Pakisthan.
5. Paschim Banga Rajya Pratibandhi Sammilani organized award-giving function to the visually impaired persons and seeing persons, who have distinguished themselves in the handicapped field on 3rd December 2005 at Ranirasmoni Road. The awards were given to Mr. Dibbendu Hota, Ex president of West Bengal board of Secondary Education for his significant service in brailling the books for class (IX) and (X) for free distribution to the studying candidates. Ms. Kanchan Gaba, for her service in the field of law and Mr. Trilokesh Chakraborty for his rehabilitation service to the sightless.
6. Welfare Society for the visually handicapped at Majerhut introduced a very nice programme for the visually handicapped candidates to appear for S.S.C. Examination. Regular classes are arranged there by different professors, who offer the guideline for the said Examination. It is a great hope that already Five visually handicapped candidates took lesson at this center have been already appointed in different regular schools. This center has also introduced training on handloom on self-employment project. The authority is in search of more trainees in this project. Every body is requested to send candidates, if possible. The present authority is doing laudable service to the sightless in opening new avenues for the enlightenment of the sightless candidates.
7. Rajya Pratibandhi Sammilani has recently started C.B.R. course at Helen Keller Mukhobodhi Bidyalaya, Mukundapur where twenty trainees from different districts have joined. --------------
Access to Disability George Abraham
The fundamental reason why people with visual impairment, or any disability, are not part of the mainstream is lack of access. Access is not merely physical, it is a way of thinking. So far, people have not thought of including those who have impaired senses. Today, Access is confined mainly to wheel-chairs. To the general public, access equals ramps. Very little has been done otherwise many public buildings and spaces acclaimed as accessible, are treacherous, minefields for persons with visual impairment. Access doesn’t mean being able to traverse one specific obstacle free roof, it means being able to navigate any roof of service with independence safety, dignity and confidence. Access is meaningless if only done in selected segments. The principles of universal design should be applied to every building space and public utility. This benefits not only visually impaired people, but others as well. Universal design includes everybody. In the long run, investing in access is a definite saving. We should remember that diseases like cataract, Arthritis and Rheumatism could catch up with any of us. Wouldn’t we want to continue being part of this wonderful world? --------------
Disability Traditional Attitude Vs Reality:-- Sadhan Gupta
The Traditional Attitude towards persons regarded as disabled is the same in almost every country in the world Everywhere the so-called disabled are regarded as unable to contribute to society and destined to live on kindness and charity. This traditional attitude undoubtedly shatters the dignity of every disabled person, but this is not the worst of such attitude. Disabled persons form a substantial section of the population of every country in the world. According to U.N. Survey the so-called disabled form 10 per cent of the population of every country in the world of this population has to be sustained on charity it is a huge burden on every society. In fact for most countries in the world including ours it is a burden which society cannot be expected to discharge fully. On the other hand if the “disabled” are not really disabled and are able to contribute to society they would be a source of immense benefit to it. The traditional attitude towards disability is deep-rooted from ancient times. It is so deep rooted because until the other day. That is until 200 or 300 years ago the tradition was based on reality. From the beginning of human civilization, perhaps even from the days of savagery and barbarism this attitude represented the reality. In fact in certain communities like the one in separate of child born with disability used to be destroyed by throwing it down from a hill. Though other communities were not so desperate, every community regarded the disabled as useless and desiring of charity, though there were certain exceptions like Honour and Surdar, they only proved the rule more emphatically. Objection conditions, however, have radically changed during the last 300 years or so, with the invention of different kinds of assistive devices and progress in the field of psychiatry, most disabled persons can be educated and trained to contribute in different gelds like any other persons without disability. I am not for a moment suggesting that every disabled persons is a genius every person to contribute to society is not a genius, society needs the contribution of noble laurite no less than that of digger of earth of a scavenger. Those who contribute to society rank from brilliant to below average. The disabled population in every country in the world ranks from brilliant to below average like the rest of the population. In this situation to exclude them from the social mainstream imposes an impossible burden on society. This situation will have to be faced primarily in the interest of society and incidentally in the interest of the so-called disabled. If the problem is so faced its solution will be much easier. All that will have to be done is to provide appropriate education, appropriate training and where necessary appropriate assertive devices. This constructive attitude towards disability will also incidentally solve the problem of resources for mainstreaming the disabled. The traditional conviction that the disabled are incapacitated and helpless at once raises the question of fund. This question is bound to arise if the outlook is to benefit the disabled this outlook is patent in various provisions of the persons with disabilities (Equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1995. In this Act the duty to provide employment to the disabled in the public and private sector (sec. 41), the duty to adopt transport for the disabled (sec. 44), the duty to undertake rehabilitation (sec. 66) and payment of unemployment allowance (sec. 68) are all subject to “Economic Development and Capacity.” This question would not have arises if the so-called disabled were regarded as a potentially valuable social asset. We must, therefore, approach and tackle the problem of the so-called disabled from this social outlook instead of from the attitude of conferring benefit to a helpless population. The task is by no means easy because of the almost universal traditional attitude, but it must be faced with determination. If we take the problem of the disabled with this constructive outlook, crunch resources will not stand in the way and will immensely enriches society as a whole. A very small part of the problem will still remain, because there is a section which cannot possibly be rehabilitated. This section consists of persons with severe mental retradition who cannot possibly be employed in any useful occupation in society, There may be similar other cases but the total number of these cases and cases of severe mental retardation would necessarily from an extremely small part of disabled persons and can be tackled on the basis of philanthropy and charity.
As
the so-called disabled population still continues to unnecessarily
remain a heavy burden on every society by their potential
contribution, which is necessary for every society as a whole to
consider and evolve means of reclaiming the vast disabled manner.
From idleness and dependence on charity to useful work in their own
interest and still more in the interest of society as a whole. This
take not-rally devolves primarily on organizations of the disabled
in every country. It is their duty to convince every organization
working for different sections for the masses and all media about
the potentiality of the disabled to contribute in every field for
the benefit of society as a whole and to educate them about how the
disabled masses can be encouraged and enabled to make such
contribution of this consciousness can be widely infused, problems
connected with disability and disabled persons will be solved,
because the problems are based on ignorance of the ability of the
disabled and the traditional prejudice about their helpless. All
that will remain is a very insignificant problem of providing
education and training and where necessary massive device to the
disabled. --------------
MY TRYST WITH VOICE OF WORLD Sukumar Chakraborty
It was around 7’o clock in the morning of late October 1992. North Calcutta was very much awake by that time and getting ready for a busy day ahead. Breakfast over, I went out of my Scottish Church College Hostel to go to one of my friend’s place in nearby Vivekananda Road to bring a book. On the way a crowd of small children, all in tattered clothes, jostling around a young lady on the footpath attracted my attention. The lady was dressed in her home apparel little bothering about the passers-by. She was distributing various stationeries to the children. Distribution over, the children sat down under a banyan tree on the footpath and the lady started teaching them with all seriousness. Soon I realized that they were the children of pavement dwellers and about 60 in number. I became quite curious about the whole affair. Two days later, on my way to college, I saw the lady once again in a different set up. She was about to board a crowded bus, full of office-goers, at about 9.15 AM. Suddenly I heard a few small children telling each other loudly, “Look at our Didi. What a nice dress she has put on today. We never saw her dressed like this before”. Now I could not help asking the children about the identity of their Didi. The children disdainfully looked at me as if I committed a great blunder by not knowing their Didi. Of course, they described her with their limited vocabulary but it was all adjectives with superlative degree. They invited me passionately to go to their pavement class on the following day. I was a little hesitant. But the little ones would not let it go like this. They extracted commitment from me. I reached the spot on the following day at the end of the class and volunteered to talk to the lady. I was surprised to note that she became totally familiar with me in no time. She realized promptly that I was partially blind and took great interest in me. She took me to her home at nearby Darjipara area. On way home, she first described her pavement school in short and then disclosed her intentions to work for the blind students. Back home, she asked all my help in this regard and assured me all support for pursuing my education. I was taken aback for all her sincerity and affection. And she became my own Didi from that point of time. Little did I know then that Didi would be widely known one day as a person who had done most for the welfare of the blind students in this part of the country. Voice of World was set up on 4 November 1992 at 3 Chidam Mudi Lane, Kolkata 700 006, the birth place of Smt. Gargi Gurta, the founder Secretary. I had the priviledge of being present there on the occasion. It gave me a new lease of life when I heard from her and the other senior members present there the mission of the organization-serving the suffering humanity in general and the visually handicapped in particular. Inspired, I became a frequenter here. Didi had a series of discussions with me regarding the difficulties the blind students faced, both boys and girls, from Higher Secondary onwards. Lack of support services to them prompted Voice of World start Reader Service and Writer Service. Simultaneously it started Talking Book Library by recording text books in audio cassettes and a Braille Book Library by hand embossing. I was hugely benefited from these educational services in addition to getting stipend till I completed BA (Hons). By now I became a regular volunteer of Voice of World and helped Didi actively. Back home from office, she used to discuss with me for long hours the future activities of Voice of World regarding mainstreaming of the blind students in general. It was a very satisfying feeling for me when she appreciated my suggestions. Advised by Didi, I got training in Physiotherapy from Orthopaedic Centre at Kakurgachhi while studying here. Inspite of my busy life in Voice of World, I continued my studies without any break. Didi inherited a house in Sakher Bazar area after her father had died in 1990. Instant success of initial educational services to the blind students in North Kolkata led her seriously think of setting up a center here. She discussed with me a lot on this matter. I was then studying MA in Calcutta University. Bikaimaa Home for the Sightless came into existence here in November 1997 with 4 small blind children from distant villages. It has now blossomed into a full-fledged Special School recognized by Ministry of Mass Education Extension, Government of West Bengal in 2000. It is now a Central Government sponsored residential school for the Visually Handicapped receiving financial grants for the last three years. We have now visually impacted boarders and scholars here numbering well over 100 pursuing studies from Lower Nursery to Higher Secondary courses. Study apart, we impart life skills to our inmates for independent living so as to empower them to live within a sighted world. We have a well-developed Braille Press here having three state of the art Computerised Braille Embosser imported from the USA and Sweden. I render total services here as the Head Master of the school. I am fortunate in receiving all the guidance and support from Didi and other senior executives of Voice of World. Voice of World opened 2 more centers in quick succession-Nirapad, a Kindergarten school in South Parganas in a rural setting in September 2001 and Lalit Pankaj Home for the Sightless, a Home for the blind girls at Rishra in January 2002. I was actively involved with these two centers in their formative stage. Seeing the success of our centers one after another, I was feeling a penchant for opening a Voice of World center in my native village in Haripur, East Midnapore. I sensed Didi was waiting for this to happen. Jibananda Sevashram was opened there on 28 April 2002. The blind children of Voice of World staged a colourful cultural programme on the same evening. The entire village turned up for the show. They were dump struck to see the performance. Since the inception the center is run by my eldest brother, who lost vision long back. The center also runs a charitable Homeopathic clinic. Kiddyzone, a Kindergarten school in coal mining area of Asansol and Taras, a center for the tribal poor in Bankura were opened with a view to having an All India character. A center named ‘Puri Andha Ashram’ was set up at Puri for the poor local blind and sighted children. Notwithstanding my personal handicap of serious nature, I make it a point to visit almost all the centers regularly specially Jibananda Sevashram, Kiddyzone and Puri Andha Ashram. Voice of World is a cash-strapped organization. It runs mainly on charity. Sustenance has become the biggest issue for us now. I suggested some ways and means to Didi. We have recently taken up some income generation schemes on a very modest way, thanks to some of our respected donors. I have to devote a considerable part of my available time for managing some of them. I am happy to note that this activity has started paying some dividends now. I am very proud to say that I have grown up with Voice of World. I am looking forward to the day when it will be the lead organization in our country for the vast multitude of the suffering humanity.
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