City-based Brookefields, has been significantly enhancing the lives of visually impaired students by supporting the Help the Blind Foundation’s (HTBF) EMET (Education, Mobility, Employability Training) initiative. The initiative has had a positive impact on the lives of thousands of visually impaired students, across the country.
Addressing the media about HTBF’s EMET initiative, Mr. Nataraj Sankaran, Trustee, HTBF, said that with India having one of the largest population of visually impaired people in the world, a key objective of HTBF is to support the students through scholarships in schools and colleges.
He added that around 3000 visually impaired students drawn across from 11 states have been provided scholarships. He further said that around 700 students are undergoing skill development training, as part of the EMET program.
Mr. Nataraj Sankaran thanked Brookefields for providing financial support, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, to roll out the transformative program in the Madurai and Coimbatore regions.
As part of the training visually impaired students are imparted training in employability skills such as communication, computer literacy, English language proficiency, soft skills and mobility training.
He mentioned that HTBF has conducted numerous awareness programs to demonstrate how visually impaired individuals can perform everyday tasks, just as in the case of normal individuals. He said under the program, these individuals are trained to perform tasks such as using the ATM, making UPI payments, sending emails, preparing tea or coffee, cooking, etc.
He said that the aim of the program was to make the visually impaired individuals self-reliant. He said that the training helps to improve the confidence of the visually impaired individuals, and also their parents.
Speaking about how such training can make a positive impact on their lives, Mr. Nataraj Sankaran pointed out that of the 57 staff of HTBF, 40 are visually impaired.
Interacting with the media, Mr. Ashwin Balasubramaniam, Chief Operating Officer, Brookefields, said that HTBF was doing an excellent job providing training to visually impaired students, making them self-reliant. He mentioned that around 250 visually impaired students have already benefitted due to EMET initiative in the Madurai and Coimbatore region.
An Audio-Visual presentation on HTBF’s initiatives was another highlight on the occasion.