Public needs to improve how it deals with blind folks – Society Reps.

May 18, 2018 News

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There are simple things that many people do not understand or even see as important when it comes to dealing with people who are blind or visually impaired. Moreover, Blindness Awareness Month was introduced in order to raise awareness about the issues that such persons face and how they can be corrected.
Spearheading the observance throughout this month is the Guyana Society for the Blind situated at 46 High Street, Georgetown.
President of the Society, Mr. Cecil Morris, during an interview with this publication said that moves towards raising awareness are particularly important, since there have been far too many instances that blind people are taken for granted.

Morris, who himself is blind, related a number of instances when he was mistreated by others while trying to access various services in public places.
“These are the things that we go about talking to people about so that they will be aware of the little things that could make life so much more comfortable for us,” said Morris.
But this has not been the first year that Blindness Awareness Month has been observed in Guyana. When asked if there have been any improvements regarding the way society views persons with varying degrees of blindness, Morris said, “the work is an ongoing process, we have to continue doing it.”
Morris disclosed that far too often, members of the public see persons who are blind as “sick people.” But he firmly asserted, “We are not sick, we are just blind. These little points we want to get across to people, it might look very trivial to a lot of people, but these are serious issues for us.”
Mirroring Morris’ view was Ms. Hazel Morris, a member of the Society’s board of management. Hazel Morris too has been blind for most of her life and has encountered some challenges along the way. She said, “I would like the public to see the person first and their disability after. We are people, it is just that we have eyes but cannot see. We are normal people just like anybody else and we can do almost everything that a normal person can do.”
As such, Hazel said that as part of the sensitisation efforts, the Society is calling on members of the public to show respect to people who are blind. She added too that not because persons are blind that they are always in need of assistance. She moreover noted, “do not assume we want help, you can ask us nicely if we need help and we will tell you yes or no.”
The month-long observance commenced with a Church Service on May 6, and has thus far included activities such as visits to the Unit of the Blind at Albert Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. Other activities will include visiting schools and other organisations, including transportation services to conduct blind awareness sessions.
This is particularly important, Morris said, because people need to be made aware of how they should treat persons with visual challenges on the roadways and in other places.
“If you see a blind person and you want to help that person, you have to know how to relate to that person,” said Morris.
Ganesh Singh, another member of the board of management and Coordinator of the Society’s CXC programme, is of the firm belief that once the public becomes accustomed to blind persons in society, they are likely to treat them better. As such, he noted that the Society has been encouraging persons in the blind community to become more integrated in society.
A move in this direction, he said, will ensure that “blind persons are not a novelty, so that when people see a blind person they will not behave in an apprehensive way.”
Currently there are about 150 individuals from across the country registered with the Society. However only about 70 are active in the Society, Singh said. He disclosed that moves are apace to refresh the Society’s registration during which additional people are likely to be included. Those who are desirous of being registered, Singh said, can do so by calling 226-4496, 231-7976 or visiting the Society’s office.
“Once they come we will try to provide them counselling, the basic rehabilitation and guide them in the direction where they can get to the level where they believe that there is life after blindness, because there is life after blindness,” said Singh.
The Society was established in 1951, but took up its current High Street location in 1956. The role of the society has over the years noticeably evolved, along with the way many blind persons operate.
“During the 60s, 70s and 80s, it was accepted for persons who are blind and visually impaired to be working in sheltered employment. They used to make baskets, fibre mattresses and a few other things…they did these work and they were sold, and the proceeds went back to material cost and gave them a stipend,” Singh recalled. He however noted that “we have moved away from that because the demand for the products was not there by the early 90s, so that programme became obsolete.”
But during the past 10 years, the Society was able to modify its objective with a focus on empowerment and rehabilitation for blind persons.
“We are now empowering our blind and visually impaired persons with skills to go out and be a part of the mainstream labour market. So instead of having employment at the Society, we teach them and equip them with skills and knowledge,” said Singh.
This has translated to the Society offering CXC programmes, computer training and other life skills.
According to Singh, a functioning rehabilitation programme for persons who are blind and visually impaired is important to every country. With such a programme in place, he noted, people who become blind can be taught independent living, since it is not an easy task to cope with blindness.
Singh, who currently is in his 30s, developed blindness during his teenage years and he recalled that the process was difficult and sometimes very daunting. With an operational rehabilitation programme, Singh said that blind persons can learn at an early stage how to use a white cane to aid their mobility. But according to him, in order to have an efficient programme, “you need to employ rehabilitation assistants who can provide training, and to do that you must have money.”
The lack of money, according to Singh, has caused the Society to be at a disadvantage to properly meet all of the needs of the blind persons within its membership.
He however boasted of the CXC programme which has been sustainable since its inception a few years ago. This programme has been benefiting from the unwavering support of the Ministry of Education, according to Singh.
But he opined that if more needed resources are made available, the Society would be eager to also have a sustainable computer programme and offer a Braille reading programme and other literacy programme to empower its members.
“Because we get very little support financially…our subvention is very small from government, corporate Guyana has been doing their part, but there is only so much that we can do with the resources that we get. So we would like more resources to have a more sustainable strategic plan in terms of the implementation of programmes,” said Singh.

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