Plans apace for resuscitation of Berbice Blind Society

Aug 16, 2016 News

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The resuscitation of a Society for the Blind is currently on the cards for Berbice.

Behind this venture is an overseas-based Guyanese, Ms. Norma Bovell. Bovell, who resided at New Amsterdam, Guyana over two decades ago, currently lives in Maryland, United States.
Bovell’s interest in the Blind Society was spurred when she returned a few years ago and visited a cousin, Yvonne Roberts, in Canje, Berbice. Roberts, according to Bovell, was a Registered Nurse for many years. But Bovell revealed that she was very concerned when she discovered that her cousin was completely blind after undergoing a surgical procedure.
“I told her let’s go to the doctor who did the surgery…I spoke to the doctor and the doctor checked her again, but only confirmed that there was no hope for her (Roberts) to get her sight back,” informed Bovell.
It was in light of this development Bovell saw the need for her cousin to have access to a facility that has the capacity to cater to the needs of persons who are blind and visually impaired. She recalled that before migrating, there existed a New Amsterdam Society for the Blind, and she decided to seek support there.
“When I enquired there, it wasn’t functioning for over 20 years although when I left I remember there was a vibrant functioning Society in New Amsterdam,” Bovell noted. She was, however, informed that services for blind persons are now incorporated into a regional handicap organisation.
Wasting no time, Bovell decided to seek support there instead.

“I attended meetings twice and it was sad…The blind people were complaining; they don’t get anything, even donations for the blind, the blind people don’t get,” Bovell said she was told.
She decided to look further for help and was directed to President of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Mr. Cecil Morris.
According to Bovell, Morris was only too willing to give his support and even committed to helping to resuscitate the New Amsterdam Blind Society. Another US-based doctor, Ms. Bovell said, has committed to donating support towards the construction of a recreational facility for the blind and visually impaired in the Berbice area.
“I went to the Regional Chairman and he has promised us a land…when they get somebody to do the drafting we will get contributions to build that centre,” said Bovell.
Morris, according to Bovell, has promised to take the fledgling Society under his wing until it evolves. Moreover, she was given his authorisation to seek donation in the United States to help resuscitate the New Amsterdam facility. Already on board is Ms. Jennifer Conway, who has been volunteering her time as Secretary to the proposed resuscitated New Amsterdam Society for the Blind.
She was able to secure help from VFO, the world’s leading assistive technology provider for the visually impaired.
According to Bovell, she visited the organisation and was able to speak with its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. David Jepperson. Bovell disclosed that while she asked for a donation of one computer, a total of 10 computers were provided. The computers have installed software such as JAWS, magic eyes, among others, making them suitable for use by blind and visually impaired individuals.
Bovell was also able to secure donations of walking canes, books, cards and dominoes for the blind. “To ship all of these things cost US$350 and I gladly paid the shipping,” said Bovell, who yesterday handed over the donation to the Guyana Society for the Blind.
According to Morris, the sizeable and very thoughtful donation will help in the development of blind persons mainly in the Berbice area. He pointed out too that “we plan to set up the Berbice Society in such a manner that it functions as it did years ago. We are basically into training our people and making them equip so that they can take their rightful place in society…and once persons like Ms. Bovell come through and help us, it means we can get our job easily and more effectively done.”
Morris expressed hope that other persons would emulate what Bovell has done to help enhance the lives of the blind and visually impaired in society.
It is the expectation of Member of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Ganesh Singh that those blind and visually impaired persons who will benefit from training will pass on their knowledge to others.
For now, he noted, the New Amsterdam facility will function as a branch of the Guyana Society for the Blind, but the intent is for it to eventually become an autonomous body with linkages to the Guyana Society which is based in Georgetown.
Also making a donation to the Blind Society yesterday was Ms. Dawn Smith, another US-based Guyanese, who donated a cheque for $20,000 to be used to help enhance the work of the Society. She too has plans to make future donations.

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