Ravishankar had crossed busy roads before, with the help of people gifted with vision, which he is bereft of. But yesterday was a different experience for Ravi and his 300-odd friends from Indian Association for the Blind (IAB), when they all were guided by volunteers, social workers and corporate heads to tread the zebra crossing at Goripalayam and Periyar junctions. Dressed in white T-shirts and red caps, wielding the white cane in hand, the visually impaired students took part in demo sessions on how to help a blind person.
The traffic was put on hold every ten minutes for a few seconds while the demo was repeated. The volunteers lent a helpful hand or elbow which the students held and walked across the road, tapping the white cane on the floor. “I felt safe and assured, holding the hand of the volunteer. The white cane is like my extended arm and gives me confidence,” said Ravishankar.
World White Cane Day observed all over the world every October 15, was celebrated in the city with zebra-crossing demos and a rally that was taken out from Race Course to Tamukkam. The event organised by Amway Opportunity Foundation in association with IAB and Soroptimist International Madurai, was aimed at creating awareness among the public on the right way to help the blind and significance of the white cane.
“Like how Braille is the script of the blind, the white cane is their eye. They are trained in using it effectively to identify and sense obstacles on their way,” explained Roshan Fathima, General Secretary of IAB, which has been observing the day at its campus in Sundarrajanpatti for the past five years. “This is the first time, the zebra-crossing demo is held. In big cities, people are much aware of the white cane.” The White Cane is typically a four-feet-long thin stick that has red markings at the tip to alert other road users. The red glows at night in order to signal speeding vehicles to slow down. “The stick is essential to ensure road safety of the visually impaired. While we tap it, we can even sense potholes, slush, water or stones on the path,” said Chitra, a BA student, who insists that the village people should be educated upon the ways to help the blind.
Karthikeyan, an NSS volunteer from Thiagarajar Arts College said, “I never knew there were so many little things that one needs to follow while helping the visually challenged. The event was an eye-opener for me.” Vijayagopal, one of the few passers by who stopped to see the happening said that the event sensitised him towards the cause and difficulties of the blind. “It’s a heart warming experience helping a visually impaired person. It gives satisfaction and makes you feel blessed.”
Flagging off the awareness rally at Race Course, Dr. G. Natchiar, Vice Chairman Emeritus of Aravind Eye Care Systems, called for making Aravind Eye Hospital and Meenakshi Temple disabled-friendly premises in the city. “These places can then become a role model for the other campuses in town. Basic facilities like a ramp, toilet and manual-assistance will go a long way in making places disabled-friendly,” said Dr. Natchiar.
The rally culminated at Tamukkam Grounds, where Samant Rohan Rajendra, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Madurai City, congratulated the initiative. Pointing out how the rains on Wednesday morning failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the participants, he hoped the same spirit would be maintained by the people who had joined hands in support of the visually challenged. This was the first time that multiple organisations in the city came together for the awareness drive.
The sponsors for the event included Lakshmi Vilas Bank, Thiagarajar Arts College, The Gateway Hotel, Amway, Hajeemoosa and Arc packaged drinking water. The Hindu was one of the media partners.
Indian Association for the Blind, based in Madurai was started on January 14, 1985 by visually challenged activist S.M.A. Jinnah and his like-minded friends. What began as a school for the blind with just eight students, today is a pioneer organisation in empowering the visually challenged towards self-reliance through various initiatives. The key to empowering people with visual disability that would help them travel the road to independence and self-reliance, Jinnah realized, was education. In the early years, it served as a tuition/guidance centre that also provided hostel facilities for four visually challenged boys. The IAB institute has made remarkable progress so far, be it in the number of lives it has touched or numerous services that are being offered. Currently, in Tamil Nadu, out of the 30,000 educated and vocationally trained visually challenged people, 20% are being educated, rehabilitated, and even employed by IAB.
