An awareness and sensitization workshop for visually challenged was organized by Aditya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai  on May 6, 2015 powered by its sustainability club ‘Aranyak’. This workshop was held under the able guidance of Mr. Krishna Warrier, Consultant, Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC). For XRCVC this is an annual event named as “Antarchakshu” – The eye within. 

As the title states ‘the eye within’, it certainly was an awakening experience for all those who were a part of this workshop. It was an activity and interaction based session. It started with some thought provoking questions about what is blindness and how is it perceived in the society. The session progressed with Mr. Ketan Kothari, Manager (Advocacy), Sightsavers who is himself visually impaired, sharing how life is bright for him and resolved many misconceptions about blindness that people have in general. 

After an interactive session, an activity to experience blindness was orchestrated. Here, all the participants were blind folded and in the state of blind-foldedness, the participants were asked to form a group of four. They were then handed a cup filled with four items, a spice, a tiny piece of Braille, a currency note and a coin. The challenge was to touch and feel what the item was. Mr. Krishna Warrier, the host of the event then went to each group to know if we have been able to identify the items correctly. They were then given a tetra packaged juice and with the taste alone we had to recognize the flavor of the juice.  Every participant was active and there was a lot of constructive communication that was happening in this state of being blind. The host then indicated the participants tp remove their blindfold. 

The participants were distributed blank sheets and a pen and were asked to draw the picture that they had touched on an embossed sheet during the activity. It was a challenge for few as it required the skill to recollect what was touched and felt but not seen. They had learnt many vital lessons for life which were then shared by them. This session was then supported by videos to authenticate how visually impaired too pursue their passion. This was a video of a passionate photographer shooting Katrina Kaif but had no eye-sight, a painter in Paris who would touch the structure and then fill the canvas with his colorful talent and intellect.

The trainers sensitized people about breaking the barriers of physical challenges and moving out of the impaired zone. The workshop helped people transform their vision for the visually challenged and fathom ‘the eye within’.

Source: Aditya Institute of Management Studies & Research.
 

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