Blind Peoples' Association
Project Partner: Blind Peoples' Association
Project Number: 233
The Blind Peoples' Association (BPA) is located in Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat in North India.
The project was started by a group of blind people in 1954 and the group has now grown into a large comprehensive agency providing a wide range of services. These include prevention, education, counselling rehabilitation, advocacy and employment.
The project provides services in all spheres to blind and other disabled persons and their services are spread all over the State.
They have a Deaf-Blind Unit and a Low Vision Centre which has government recognition. Besides a large donor base, all available government funds are accessed. The project provides excellent resource and enablement and is one of the forerunners in the implementation of inclusive approaches in the region.
Kanji's Story
Kanji lost his left eye whilst playing a childhood game of sticks - where you make the stick jump by beating one end of it with another
stick to see who can make it jump the highest.
He was attending his grandmother's funeral when the second accident happened. As is traditional, at the funeral there was a burning of sticks but unfortunately some of the burning embers popped and sent a piece of hot ash into Kanji's only good eye.
Kanji now works in BPA's weaving room on one of the handlooms. He leaves his house every day just after 6 in the morning and travels the 20km by bus to work and returns home at some time after 8pm. Being blind has not stopped Kanji from living a full and fruitful life though. He married a blind woman after he himself became blind and the couple now have two sons and a daughter to care for.
Without the support of CBM and its partner, the Blind Peoples' Association, Kanji is likely to have faced a future without support and unable to work to provide for his family. It is therefore essential that our work continues to help people like him.
Project Needs
This project still needs the following items which, through your donations, can be provided by CBM
- Financial support for a student for a year.
- Computer Equipment funding.