The Oldest Eye Hospital of the City Launches a New Initiative - ‘Ujagar’ it’s IT Resource and Training Center for the Visually Impaired & Low Vision Persons!
Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, established in 1914 and having the distinction of being the oldest eye care institute of the city, takes a new initiative to empower the visually impaired persons by launching its unique IT Resource and Training Centre for the Visually Impaired and Low Vision Persons on 27th March 2009. With more than 2 million blind and low vision persons in the country and with very few centres to provide training in information technology for them, importance of the initiative taken by Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital cannot be undermined. Through this resource and training centre, education and employment oriented training skills including computers, communication skills, interview-giving skills etc will be provided to visually impaired persons in order to make them a part of the inclusive society. The project is funded by Adobe India and Charities Aid Foundation. According to Mr. A. K. Arora, CEO, Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, “our strategy is just not to provide medical intervention, but rather, ensure an overall development of the visually impaired persons. This project will go a long way in achieving this end.” Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital has been providing comprehensive rehabilitation services for the blind and low vision persons through its Vision Rehabilitation and Enhancement Center in New Delhi for more than eight years and Community Based Rehabilitation in Alwar District of Rajasthan under the able leadership of Ms. Sachu Ramalingam, Consultant, Vision Rehabilitation Services. According to Ms Ramalingam, “To ensure availability of latest training and technology is important if the visually impaired need to be equipped to meet the new challenges of the job market and that is what we are facilitating!” This first of its kind initiative will not only function as a IT training facility but will also be a resource centre for the visually challenged, where any visually challenged person can become a member and use the latest technology such as the KNFB reader available here for reading print materials or convert print into accessible formats. The IT training is provided with the help of speech and magnifying software in English and Hindi, especially designed for helping persons with visual problems, to master computer skills. These software, once mastered, can to a large extent, remove the reading and writing handicap of those who cannot see. ‘Ujagar’ will be providing short term and long term courses at a nominal fee to all visually impaired persons, who have the basic required qualifications to enable employability or to pursue education. Dr. Umang Mathur, Medical Director of the hospital adds, “If the visually impaired persons need to be truly empowered, it is important to expose and train them in the use of latest technology.” Sachu Ramalingam Consultant-Vision Rehabilitation Project Head, CBM CBR Services & IT Resource & Training Centre for the Disable Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital Ph: 9871653331 011 43528888, Extn: 259 Email: sa...@sceh.net To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
