Thirty-year-old Abbas Mir was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa when he was in Class XI. Within a year, the deteriorating eye condition left him with nothing but some light perception. Living in a remote part of Kashmir, Lolab valley, Abbas faced a fair bit of challenges due to the loss of sight. Lack of awareness and insensitivity among the neighbouring community made it harder for him to cope with his disability. He was discouraged by people, who saw him as nothing but a burden on family and society. He also lost his parents, but was fortunate to have a supportive brother.
Abbas’ brother ensured that he got to complete his education. In Class XII board exams, Abbas struggled to find a scribe as the school authorities refused to help him. But he was not ready to give up. He went from pillar to post, eventually getting a solution from the J&K state board.
He lost a year in his college after enrolment due to the lack of support once again. But he persisted and eventually completed his Master’s in Education. Aspiring to become a professor, Abbas applied for the National Eligibility Test (NET). While he was looking for a scribe to help him at this stage, he happened to attend a workshop organized by Eyeway’s Kashmir Helpdesk.
Luckily, the Eyeway counselor could help him find a suitable scribe and Abbas appeared for his NET exam. During the interaction, the counselor learned that Abbas lacked the basic skills of mobility and computer, both essential to achieve independent living. He was encouraged to enroll for a training program but he faces difficulty in traveling to and fro to Srinagar for the same.
Many people like Abbas face a multitude of challenges in the path of living a dignified and independent life. Especially if they are stationed in the rural parts of the country. It’s imperative that authorities and civil society organizations get together to service each corner of the country better, so visually impaired people can get equal access to opportunities of education and employment.
Team Eyeway
For any information related to living life with blindness, please visit -http://eyeway.org.in/
