Blind youth completes two-week training stint in Canada

Aug 17, 2008 News

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– to use experience to help afflicted countrymen

By Dale Andrews

Two weeks in Canada has certainly ‘opened the eyes’ of blind student Douglas Tika to the world of opportunities for persons like himself.

Douglas recently returned to Guyana after a two-week stint at a leadership training programme, sponsored by the Canadian Institute for the Blind, and judging from the response coming out of North America, the former St. Rose’s High School student represented Guyana well.

Tika was selected from among five applicants to represent this country at the inaugural event, following an invitation extended by the Canadian institute.

Except for Canadians, the only other outside participant on the programme was from Ghana, Africa.

Tika, who lost his sight four years ago when a friend accidentally discharged a loaded shotgun, described his Canadian experience as overwhelming.

“The trip was both fun and educational. There was a part of everything. We had team contests,” Tika told this newspaper.

One of the team contests involved two blind persons leading one another through a forested area.
The trip also took him to the world famous Niagara Falls and several other important venues in Canada.
According to Tika, a lot of acquaintances were made during the trip.

“My first roommate was somebody with whom I share a lot in common. We like the same sports and almost everything,” the 18-year-old explained.

But unlike Tika who lost his sight when he was already in his early teens, most of the other participants were either born blind or suffered the catastrophe in the early stages of their lives.

Sharing his experience of becoming blind certainly left many of the participants awestruck. “They were shocked. They said they never met anyone who became blind like that.”

The visually impaired Guyanese learnt through the course’s educational programme how to approach applying for a job.

“We had training like making people aware of the careers out there for persons who are blind and other independent living skills. I also learnt how international blind students could obtain visas to study abroad.

We also learnt a lot about new technology like a new cell phone which when flashed on writing paper will read it out for you, but it cannot read handwriting,” Tika explained.

He also was apprised about the new kitchen utensils that were designed for visually impaired persons.
According to Tika, the food was not as spicy as he is accustomed to in Guyana.

Of course as an ‘Ambassador’, Tika believes he sold his country well, so much so that many of the participants have expressed the wish to visit here soon.

“The friends that I made, they told me that they will start saving their money to come to Guyana,” Tika stated.

His father Davenand Tika is thrilled with his son’s participation in the programme, which will be done annually.

For one, it will allow for less dependence on the family as well as serving as a model for other visually impaired persons in Guyana.

“He’s saying that he should be an advocate for the blind in Guyana. Long ago, it was the blind leading the blind to nowhere, not now.

Today the blind is leading the blind to university, leading the blind to become anything they wish,” Davenand Tika told Kaieteur News.

“He’s done remarkably well on his own and now he’s getting new knowledge, new experiences, new avenues, challenges, new opportunities,” he added about his son.

He said that the biggest thing now for Douglas is for him to become qualified and go out on his own, maybe even get married and settle down.

Charles Vandyke, Programme Manager, Caribbean Council for the Blind, Eye Care Guyana, the local organization which facilitated the trip, said that the feedback on Douglas’s participation in the programme was heartening.

“The Canadians called us and in fact they were very, very happy with Douglas’s participation. They told us that we really sent a wonderful candidate. They were pleased and we were happy to get that kind of feedback from them,” Vandyke told Kaieteur News.

He disclosed that other local candidates will be participating in future programmes in Canada. He said that Douglas’s trip to Canada will augment a programme the local organization is about to undertake.

This includes ensuring inclusive education and training for children and young people who are visually impaired or totally blind.

“We’re going to use this trip and his experience in Canada to do a lot of things. We’re going to talk with Douglas a little and access what we can take from him,” Vandyke told this newspaper.

The Caribbean Council for the Blind, Eye Care Guyana, is presently working with the Ministry of Education, and other concerned organizations are showing a lot of interest to assist persons with the disability.

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