A mission with a vision

Members of the Indian Blind Football Team interacting with actor Shriya Saran

ORIGIN: The Society for Rehabilitation of the Visually Challenged (SRVC) has been around since 2002 providing support and guidance to the visually challenged. Be it technology, arts or sports, SRVC has been working at spread the message of inclusive growth for the visually challenged. And it has succeeded a great deal in finding employment for the visually impaired.

“Usually, the visually challenged have superior listening skills and retention power and they are able to produce better results in fields like IT/ITES, music and physiotherapy, to name a few,” says M.C. Roy, Project Head of SRVC. “Besides, employment makes them physically, emotionally and financially independent,” he adds.

ACTIVITIES: The very motto of SRVC has been to ‘empower’, ‘enable’ and ‘encourage’ the visually challenged. And, right from the beginning, SRVC has been campaigning for the rights of the visually challenged community and sensitise the public to the various issues concerning them. In 2005, SRVC also formed a music band called ‘Heart 2 Heart’, has staged more than 170 shows both in India and abroad. A three-member band of SRVC beneficiaries is employed at Hotel Le Meridien in Kochi. The trio has also brought out an instrumental album of their own, too.

The organisation has formed a Resource Centre at Infopark in partnership with the Rotary Club of Cochin Global to provide training in IT, mobility and communication skills. The centre provides hostel facility and conveyance to the aspirants. The placement ratio of those who have undergone training at the Resource Centre stands at an impressive 65 per cent.

A football team for the blind was formed by SRVC, which participated in the national soccer championships for the blind held in Delhi. The team also played an active role in forming the first Indian National Blind Football team. Recently, the team participated in a 7-nation tournament in Thailand. A few members of SRVC have played cricket and represented the State and the country in cricket for the blind.

IMPACT: The Society for Rehabilitation of the Visually Challenged, through its initiatives, could introduce the concept of economic rehabilitation of the visually challenged in the corporate sector. Its efforts gave a turnaround to the mindset and approach of the decision makers towards people with visual impairment.

GETTING IN TOUCH: To know more about SRVC and its activities, call 93499 85555 (Project Head) or 94471 32363 (Secretary). Email: mail@visuallychallenged.com, Website: www.visuallychallenged.com or www.facebook.com/srvcindia