3-day training to visually challenged students concludes

Vijayawada : The first phase of a transformative three-day training programme to equip 32 visually impaired students from classes 6 to 9 with essential digital and mobility skills, fostering independence in education and daily living concluded at Vijaya Mary Integrated School for Blind (VMISB) concluded here on Wednesday.

Andhra Loyola College, M Junction, a CSR initiative of Tata Steels, Kolkata, Benetech, an NGO for empowering Visually Impaired (VI) and Enable India sponsored the programme.

As part of the initiative, M Junction provided 32 comprehensive kits valued at Rs 15,000 each. These kits included a smartphone, earphones, OTG keyboard, and smart canes, all designed to enhance learning and mobility for visually impaired students.

The students were trained on the EasyReader app, which enables them to access educational resources, including textbooks aligned with the Andhra Pradesh School curriculum through Bookshare. Sanjog and Kumaresan from Benetech, Venkat from Enable India, provided expert guidance to students.

Sr Rajeswari, correspondent and headmistress of VMISB, remarked that this initiative is a milestone in empowering visually impaired students.

Vice Provincial of FIHM, Sr Tharsilla Mary, Dr G Sahaya Baskaran, coordinator of HEPSN, along with the teachers of Vijaya Mary Integrated School and the parents of students were present.