Smart Vision Gen 2.0 launched!
Written on January 23 2022
Smart phones - a major enabler for the visually impaired!
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Vision-Aid and Trees For Life India are joining hands to provide life-changing Smart-phone technology to visually impaired from under-privileged backgrounds. In 2021 , we started with a pilot which covers ten locations, and the results have been phenomenal.
About the program
Smart phone companies have poured a lot of money to pack smart technology into today’s devices and there are many innovative apps (including AI based apps) which can totally transform the life of a blind or visually impaired user. Our dedicated volunteers and team members in US and India have been hard at work, coordinating the logistics of this multi-location rollout. A matching grant from Trees For Life Foundation doubles the impact with every donation to the program being doubled. With your love and support, we are sure we can keep growing this program in 2022.
Visually Impaired beneficiaries are carefully selected based on both need (i.e. under-privileged backgrounds) and aptitude – i.e. their ability to learn and utilize the devices and training optimally to get the most benefit.
For Some Touching is believing!
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Touching is believing! For children who are visually impaired, and who have never seen a tree or a star or a science diagram, the world of tactile diagrams and tactile STEM books opens up a whole new universe, using the sense of touch. Vision-Aid is proud to partner with Raised Lines Foundation (RLF) a start-up coming out of IIT-Delhi to provide high quality tactile Braille books to children in blind schools across India replacing traditional Braille books which were lacking diagrams.
Third batch of Digital Accessibility Testing Program students graduate!
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In 2020, Vision-Aid launched the “Vissa Sahadeva Rao and Kamala Vissa Vision-Aid Center for Digital Accessibility Testing & Training” thanks to support from the family of the generous benefactors.
The center has already trained 3 batches of visually impaired students in advanced DAT skills with a an intensive , rigorous 6-month program from the Dequeue University in the US, which offers the leading global certification program for DAT training. All students have successfully been certified by Dequeue and several have gone on to secure jobs in the industry as well as work in-house in the Vision-Aid DAT incubator.
Vision-Aid and Perkins India teams launch door to door screening in Agra
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Vision-Aid is delighted to see the impact of the partnership between Vision-Aid India and Perkins India to identify children with Multiple Disabilities and Vision Impairment (MDVI) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh India. Under project IDI , Identification and Intervention, door-to-door screening of 338 children with disabilities was carried out. This work was overseen by the project team of trained special educators and CBR workers from Khandoli block. Many more villages will be targeted in the coming weeks and months.
A long distance relationship that is thriving!
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Vision-Aid Holds Meet & Greet with the Agra, India Center
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A meet and greet event with the Vision-Aid program at the Agra center was held on 18th Decemeber EST. This ceneter is run by Vision-Aid with the support from Vivek and Vandana Sharma foundation. The Agra center works with the local blinds schools and other organizations in Agra, India to offer a range of services to the visually impaired.
St.Joseph's Blind School, Madurai, onboards to Project Spring Board
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Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”. Doubly blessed are those who have both sight and vision and help to break the barriers to learning for the blind. Ms. Ranga Geetha of Millbury MA is one such visionary. Celebrating her 72nd birthday on 19th November, 2021, in a very special and meaningful way – by making a commitment to help improve the welfare of visually impaired students in a blind school in Madurai, India, by giving them the gift of technology and learning through her support of Vision-Aid’s Project Spring Board. Through her gift, Ms. Ranga Geetha is “adopting” one of the blind schools in Vision-Aid’s “Project Spring Board” network – St. Joseph’s Blind School in Madurai, Tamil Nādu.
Update December 2021: Vision-Aid joins hands with RLF to improve access to STEM
Written on October 10 2021
Vision-Aid has joined hands with Raised Line Foundation (RLF), a startup coming out of IIT-Delhi, to improve access to STEM education with tactile braille books for students with visual impairment. Currently most of the braille books available to blind students do not have diagrams and other rich content which makes science and math education more easily understandable and accessible to blind students.The new initiative introduces much improved, quality of STEM books with tactile diagrams and rich content and helps to level the playing ground for them to compete with their sighted counterparts in regular schools.
Vision-Aid COVID Response for the Visually Impaired in India
Written on May 16 2021
Life for people with Visual Impairment in India, has been very challenging during the recent wave of COVID. In consultation with many Vision-Aid partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries, Vision-Aid is announcing a new COVID Response Program for the Visually Impaired. Here are the details.
Vision-Aid appoints Puran Dang as Chairman Emeritus, and Veena Handa as Vice Chair
Written on October 9 2021
The Board of Directors of Vision-Aid, a Lexington, MA-based nonprofit organization, has appointed Puran Dang as Chairman Emeritus, a life-time position, and Veena Handa as Vice Chair of the Advisory Board for a term of five years, in recognition of their contributions to the cause of the visually impaired.
Vision-Aid students making waves
Written on October 2 2021
Months and months of hard work by Vision-Aid’s students and their dedicated mentors are paying off.
- Four of Vision-Aid’s visually impaired students have successfully cleared the Indian Banking Exam Prelims with flying colors. Two of these students are part of the Palakurthi Center at LVPEI. The other two are from the Maskati Scholarship program.
- Two students from the Vision-Aid Corporate Skills Development Program have secured jobs in leading private sector companies with competitive salaries.
Vision-Aid annual event dazzles, drawing over 1400 viewers!
Written on August 22 2021
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