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Determined to change prospect of the blind… Visually impaired student tells society “Help us make our mark”
By Rehanna Ramsay
“Remove the stigma and discrimination often attached to those who are visually impaired and more so differently abled, see our potential, give us a chance, and help us to make our mark in society”
This is Anthony Robinson’s message to the public as Guyana shares another observance of Blind Awareness Month.
At just 22 years old, Robinson is completely blind but says he “is prepared for any challenge that life tosses his way.”
Robinson is currently a student of Guyana’s Society for the Blind’s Caribbean Secondary Examination Council‘s, (CSEC) class.
He explains that “it is people’s lack of confidence and support that assists in further crippling persons with disabilities.” Robinson views the development of disabled persons, as playing a pivotal role in
Anthony Robinson at his work desk
shaping the country’s future.
“Disabled people are just like everybody else. It is just that their lives have been altered in one way or another. This doesn’t mean that you have the right to write them off or exclude them from civilisation.”
Characterized by drive and ambition, Robinson oozes confidence. He reminisced that the most difficult part of his life was accepting that he would never be able to see again.
Robinson was not born blind. “I was preparing to sit the common entrance exam to go into Secondary School when I did the surgery; I became completely blind afterwards. At first I had difficulty accepting it but my family and friends, at that time, gave me support and showed me that it’s not the end of the world. They encouraged me not to give up.
“Although being blind hindered me for a while, I decided to fight, to face the world again.” The surgical intervention he underwent was to remove cataract.
Robinson, who hails from Plaisance, would then attend the St Roses institute for the blind and study Braille for three years. There, he met students like himself, who further fostered his desire to develop.
Robinson recalled that those years were somewhat challenging since his mother was a single parent raising eight children on her own. None-the- less he persevered.
“I looked at this as an opportunity to nurture my independence I learnt to do everything on my own.”
The unit later transferred Robinson to the Guyana Society for the Blind, where he is under the mentorship of Ganesh Singh, a visually impaired tutor. At present, Robinson is being taught courses in Human and Social Biology, Office Administration, Social Studies, English Language, and Principles of Business while computer training is a bonus feature of the course.
These courses are preparing him for the upcoming CSEC exams. These lessons are made possible through the use of JAWS, a software technology designed to teach the blind.
Curious about how a blind person can write any exam, Robinson told me that in such instances, the student can request a writer or type the answers using the same software technology.
Upon successfully completing the CSEC exams, Robinson plans to enter the world of work. His desire is to become a teacher but not just any teacher. He says, “I want to be able to impart to people with disabilities like me the same knowledge that I was given.”
Once again, the young man who loves dogs, noted that he plans to lead a normal life and future despite his lack of sight.
“I want to teach and have my own property and family like everyone else. I cook, I cut up meat and vegetables, I do my laundry, I wash the dishes, I clean the house and everything on my own. If my family and those around didn’t believe in me I would never have been able to do these simple things”
Robinson’s desire is to change people’s attitude towards the blind and differently abled.
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