Dr (Mrs) Saroja Ramachandran
President.
NAB-KB
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The NAB-KB has been providing services to the blind in Karnataka for the past 22 years.  Its activities concentrate on the rehabilitation of the blind to enable them to lead as far as possible independent and self-confident lives.  It, therefore, seeks to help the blind persons towards their complete socio economic rehabilitation by intensive and appropriate training leading to employment in appropriate trades.  The NAB-KB is running the following projects and services.

        i) NAB Mobility Training Centre, Bangalore.
       ii) NAB Rehabilitation and Basic Training Centre.
      iii)  NAB Technical Training Institute Bangalore.
      iv)  Employment and Placement Services.
       v)  Community Based Projects for Rehabilitation=20
             of the rural blind.
      vi)  Integrated Education Programme for rural &=20
            urban blind children.
     vii)  Eye Care Programme for children to prevent
            blindness.
    viii)   NAB Industrial Training Centre for the Blind,
             Mysore.

PROJECT PROPOSAL:

Q.1  When and how did your group start? What are your goals and your vision?

A.     The National Association for the Blind, India has been providing service  to    blind people since 1953.  In 1977, the Karnataka Branch of NAB, India was set up for the purpose of improving and expanding services to the blind in the Karnataka State.  At that time, in the Karnataka State, there were a few special schools for the blind, giving education to the blind girls and boys.  No other rehabilitation services were provided by any institution.   The rest of the blind in rural and urban areas who could not attend schools and the adult blind were left to fend for themselves, without any training and somehow carry on their existence.  Even those who were educated coult not get any jobs and were idle and this was making them more depressed.

The first aim, therfore was providing placement service to these educated and trained blind. Working alongwith the sighted persons gives the visually impaired a sense of self worth and helps in joining the mainstream of life.  The NAB, Karnataka took upon itself the task of convincing the employers about the employability of visually impaired
persons and providing placement to them, thus providing the blind the 'RIGHT TO WORK'.

In 1980, NAB-KB started its Rehabilitation Programme.  This was essential for rehabilitating the blind who could not attend schools.  This programme is so designed to assist the blind help himself by minimising the adverse effects of the loss of vision and improving the residual faculties to the maximum extent so that these faculties will assist him in his day to day life and career.  Rehabilitation training is given in mobility and orientation, daily living skills, improving the finger dexterity and coordination and vocational training.

In 1982, NAB-KB started its Mobility Training.  In fact Mobility Training is the first and basic component of Rehabilitatioon Programme.  Mobility builds up the confidence in the visually impaired persons and makes him independent.  He can move safely and gracefully from one place to another without anybody's help.  He will be able to take his rightful place in the society with confidence and self-respect and this will also enable him to get employment.

In 1982 the Technical Training institute was started.  This 2 years course imparts intensive training in Basic General Mechanics and enables him to get jobs in industrial units.

To serve the blind in the rural areas, the NAB-KB started the Community Based Rehabilitation programme in 1984 taking the rehabilitation to the doorsteps of the blind in the rural areas.  In the context of the Indian realities like poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, lack of communication and poor transport facilities, it was not possible to bring all the blind persons scattered in the villages to the cities and give training.  Under the CBR programme, the trained field workers go to the villages, identify the blind, give counselling to them and their families and give training to them in mobility and some income generating trade.

In the year 1984, the thinking all over the world, was in favour of early intervention in integration of the disabled persons in the main stream society.  For early integration, the 'integrated education' (IE) system was promoted.  NAB-KB also started Integrated Education Units.  Under this system the blind children study in schools for normal children.  A teacher with special education training provides the supportive teaching and acts as a resource teacher.  A resource teacher has 8 visually impaired children under his/her care.  NAB-KB runs 12 I E units in rural Karnataka and 2 in Bangalore city.

Added to these specific projects, NAB has been assisting the blind in all possible ways- counselling, providing medical aid, providing education accessories, medical certificate of blindness, free bus pass and railway concession etc.

Aim, goals and vision:

The psycological and emotional disturbances which a persons experiences  immediately on losing eye sight are terrific and very difficult to describe in words.  Unless these disturbances are set right and the shattered confidence is restored, his life will be ruined.  The Aim of NAB is to assist such person to return to normalcy and independence to the maximum extent permitted by his handicap.  His aim should be to accept the three 'A' s----
       1.  Accept his blindness
       2.  Adjust to his disability
       3.  Achieve=20

There are about 1.50 lakhs blind in Karnataka and 80% of them live in rural areas.  NAB's vision is to rehabilitate all these persons and make them an integral part of the society enjoying all the rights and duties of a citizen.
 

Q.2    How has your organisation grown since its founding and what is its current size?

 A.     Starting the work of rehabiliting the blind in a rented shed with the help of a few volunteers, the NAB-KB has grown in its activities and reach to the blind, employing teachers, administrative staff etc. and now works from its own building which houses all the training services, hostel and the administrative block.  The progress made  by NAB-KB in its various prjects is given in Annexure-I

          The No. of villages reached                                     -  12,753.
          The No.of people working for the organisation      -   123 staff & Office Bearers.
          The No.of paid workers                                           -   123. - Annexure II
          The No.of volunteers                                               -   All office bearers are volunteers.
          Organisational set-up                                               -   Annexure III.
          Resume of important people of the organisation    -   Annexure IV.
          Current activities  and funding of these                  -   Annexure V.
 
Q.3    How do you evaluate the effectiveness and achievement of your projects?

A.      NAB-KB keeps in touch with the blind who have taken training from NAB-KB.  Once they are given training NAB helps them in getting job; our Mobility Officers go with the trainees to their new workplace and give them orientation in their new surroundings; check on any of their  problems in the initial stages in the workplace and give counselling.  Whenever it is felt that new skills are required with the changing times, NAB gives the new skills training.  With knowledge of computers being a necessity in the present work culture, NAB has started a Computer Training Centre for the Blind so that they are not left out because of lack of this skill.

Once the CBR programme is completed in a taluka, follow-up work is taken to find out how far these rehabilitated blind fare in their life and how far the rehabilitation has been helpful in their joining the mainstream of the society.

Evaluation of the programmes are taken by the NAB-INDIA and sometimes by outside agencies for the benefit of the funding agencies.

Q.4      Of the people you serve, how many are also on the staff or volunteer for your group?

A.       The No.of blind in Governing Council is                 -   03.
          The No.of blind in the teaching staff is                 -   06
          & Physically Handicapped is 2.
 
Q.5    Are there any nearby sources where you can attract more volunteers?

A.     NAB-KB takes the help of the schools and NCC groups in its fund raising activity.  Till 1997, the NCC cadets had been actively involved in our Fund Raising Activities - NCC had raised funds of nearly Rs.11 lakhs in 1997-98.  But from the 1998-99, the NCC Head in New Delhi have prohibited all their units in taking up this activity.

The proposed project:
The funding is requested for the three important on-goiong projects.
        1.  Mobility and Orientation programme
        2.  Rehabilitation and Basic Training Centre.
        3.  Technical Training Institute.

MOBILITY TRAINING CENTRE (M.T.C)

The basic problem which a blind person has is, his inability to move about independently,inability to attend to his daily living requirements without the help of sighted persons.  The blind persons need to develop their other senses, touch, smell and capacity to identify places, materials etc.  Mobility, Daily Living Skills and development of other residual senses comprises the most important training a blind person should get for his social and economic rehabilitation.

The NAB-KB, therefore started the MTC in 1982, with the following objective in view:
To train the blind persons in
a)  Orientation (identification of his location at any given time) and mobility, so that he can walk with confidence and move from point A to point B safely and gracefully using a white cane;
b)  Daily living skills - to perform the daily routine of washing, cleaning,taking bath, cooking, laundry, home management etc.
c)  Develop the blilnd person's residual senses; pro-vocational training is given in manual dexterity,spatial orientation,co-ordination, memory, tactile sense, hearing and perseverence.
d)  To assist the blind to regain his self-confidence and help him in his social integration; to make him fit to receive vocational training or to resume his activities such as they were before he became blind.

Each course is of 6 weeks duration.  The centre is residential because the client requires to be trained right from early morning to bed times in the various daily activities.  The intake capacity for each course is 16, the ratio of clients to training officer being 4:1.  NAB also imparts domiciliary training to those who are unable to come to the Centre for one reason or other.
There are 4 trained teachers and 1 attender.
A statement giving the requirements of fund for a year for this centre is given in Annexure VI.

THE REHABILITATION AND BASIC TRAINING CENTRE(RBTC)

The RBTC was started in 1980 basically to assist the blind who cannot attend schools and who have not received any rehabilitation.  This is a 1 year course where training is given in adjustment, in personal management, grooming and daily living and pro-vocational training and later in some vocation.    This is also a residential course with the no.of trainees in a batch being - 20.

Stage 1 of training:
Efforts are made to evaluate the blind person's social, emotional, physical, educational and vocational background, present and future needs.  The assistance of doctors and trained clinical pathologists is taken for the evaluation.  Various tests are carried out and the type of training best suited to each individual is decided.

Stage 2:-
Training on peg boards, geometrical patterns, manual dexterity boards, meccano assembly, loom, sewing machine etc, is given in order to improve the client's manual dexterity, orientation, coordination, memory, and other senses.

Stage 3:-
Training in domestic science and home management is given.

Stage 4:-
Braille reading and writing and use of other available aids and appliances are taught.  Training in any vocation is given like light engineering, carpenty, weaving, cycle repair, pump repair and recaning of chairs.

The No.of teachers in RBTC is       -  06,
manager                                         -  01,
clerk/typist                                     -  01 and
Attenders                                        -  03.

A statement giving the requirement of funds for a year is given in Annexure VII.

THE TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE (T.T.I)

The T.T.I was started in 1982 for giving technical training to blind students who have studied upto 8th standard  so that this will improve their opportunities of finding employment in factories.  Though Government had fixed employment quota for the blind, it will be of no use to a blind boy unless he is technically qualified.  The course is of 2 years duration and gives training in Basic General Mechanic Trade(Fitteers Trade).  The course is approved by the Government of India and affiliated to the council for Vocational Training and the syllabus is the same for sighted students according to the Government I.T.I course (except engineering drawing).  The lab course involves drilling, cutting and lathe machines.

The course is offered to the visually impaired male students of the age of 18 and 25 years and who have passed IX std. with knowledge of braille and english.

The No.of trained teachers in T.T.I is -  03 and 1 attender.
A statement giving the requirement of funds for a year is given in Annexure VIII.

The total requirement for all the three projects is given in Annexure - IX.
 

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROJECTS:

As will be seen from the Annexure IX the requirement of funds for these projects in an year is about Rs.16,86,100/-.   Of this it is expected that the Central & State Government would provide Rs.5,31,020/- (say about Rs.5 lakhs).  This leaves us with a shortfall of Rs.11,55,080/- (say Rs.12 lakhs).  For the past 9 years CARITAS NEDERLANDICA, NEDERLAND had been funding these projects and any shortfall was met out of NAB funds. A statement showing the assistance given by Caritas and Government in the past 9 years is given in Annexure X.  Since they cannot permanantly fund the same project and have to diversify their assistance, they have expressed their inability to fund these projects from this year.

NAB has to continue these projects and with their present modes of raising funds, it will not be able to meet the expenses of these 3 projects.  NAB has to get assistance from another funding agency.
It is in this context that we approach you to consider assisting our projects.

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